As for history, we are living in its ruins. And as for biographies, we are living with the consequences of all the decisions ever made in them. I tend not to read them for pleasure. It’s not unlike carefully scrutinizing the map when one has already reached the destination.

If reassurances could dull pain, nobody would ever go to the trouble of pressing grapes.

You simply collapsed, sir. In layman's terms, your body revoked its permission for you to continue heaping abuse upon it.

To us — richer and cleverer than everyone else!

You're one third bad intentions,one third pure avarice,and one eighth sawdust.What's left,I'll credit,must be brains.

Cold walls do not a prison make, nor iron bands a bondsman.

Nobody admires anyone else without qualification. If they do they're after an image, not a person.