The dead sleep in their moonless night; my business is with the living.

Art is the need to create; but in its essence, immense and universal, it is impatient of working with lame or tied hands, and of making cripples and monsters, such as all pictures and statues are. Nothing less than the creation of man and nature is its end.

For the resolute and determined, there is time and opportunity.

Men do what is called a good action, as some piece of courage or charity, much as they would pay a fine in expiation of daily non-appearance on parade. Their works are done as an apology or extenuation of their living in the world. I do not wish to expiate, but to live. My life is not an apology, but a life.

If you act, you show character; if you sit still, you show it; if you sleep you show it.

Do not believe that possibly you can escape the reward of your action.

As long as a man stands in his own way, everything seems to be in his way.