I came into the world two months too soon, I was in such a hurry.

My father, though, could run very much faster. It was impossible to compete with him on the grass. But it was astonishing how slow old people were. Some of them could not run up a hill and called it trying to climb stairs.

I admired in others the strength that I lacked myself.

But when I was twelve years old I caught my first strong glimpse of one of the fundamental forces of existence, whose votary I was destined to be for life - namely, Beauty.

It is useless to send armies against ideas.

The stream of time sweeps away errors, and leaves the truth for the inheritance of humanity.

When I was a little boy I did not, of course, trouble much about my appearance.