Nothing is less predictable than the development of an active scientific field.

There is nothing more beautiful than cheerfulness in an old face, and among country people it is always a sign of a well-regulated life.

Spring makes everything young again except man.

The usual designation of the magnitude scale to my name does less than justice to the great part that Dr. Gutenberg played in extending the scale to apply to earthquakes in all parts of the world.

The rose does not bloom without thorns. True, but would that the thorns did not outlive the rose.

It is a common remark that men talk most who think least; just as frogs cease their quacking when a light is brought to the water-side.

Lately there have been complaints that the use of the magnitude scale is confusing, or at least the reporting of magnitudes in the newspapers 'confuses the public.