A man who sets out to justify his existence and his activities has to distinguish two different questions. The first is whether the work which he does is worth doing; and the second is why he does it (whatever its value may be).

All analysts spend half their time hunting through the literature for inequalities which they want to use and cannot prove.

It is not worth an intelligent man's time to be in the majority. By definition, there are already enough people to do that.

The creative life was the only one for a serious man.

There is no scorn more profound, or on the whole more justifiable, than that of the men who make for the men who explain.

A person’s first duty, a young person’s at any rate, is to be ambitious, and the noblest ambition is that of leaving behind something of permanent value.

Beauty is the first test: there is no permanent place in the world for ugly mathematics.