Every man's task [his 'great dream' and impassioned life-goal] is his life preserver.

Ten percent of people can think, another ten percent of people think that they think, and eighty percent of people would rather die than be made to think.

The wise know that foolish legislation is a rope of sand, which perishes in the twisting.

To finish the moment, to find the journey's end in every step of the road, to live the greatest number of good hours, is wisdom.

What lies behind you and what lies in front of you, pales in comparison to what lies inside of you.

The characteristic of genuine heroism is its persistency. All men have wandering impulses, fits and starts of generosity. But when you have resolved to be great, abide by yourself, and do not weakly try to reconcile yourself with the world. The heroic cannot be the common, nor the common the heroic.

Books are the best of things if well used; if abused, among the worst. They are good for nothing but to inspire. I had better never see a book than be warped by its attraction clean out of my own orbit, and made a satellite instead of a system.