A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools.

I know I am but mortal and so therewhilst prepare myself for death, whensoever it shall please God to send it.

The greatest pride, or the greatest despondency, is the greatest ignorance of one's self.

Every act of creation is first an act of destruction.

Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.

A friend to all is a friend to none

Almost every wise saying has an opposite one, no less wise, to balance it.

Nothing fixes a thing so intensely in the memory as the wish to forget it.

Time flies over us, but leaves its shadow behind.

The oldest, shortest words- 'yes' and 'no'- are those which require the most thought.

It is not the strength, but the duration, of great sentiments that makes great men.

Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair.

Although our intellect always longs for clarity and certainty, our nature often finds uncertainty fascinating.

I have no desire to make windows into mens souls

Judge not unless you judge yourself.

Rational discussion is useful only when there is a significant base of shared assumptions.

The one you buy will be the only one that doesn't work.

Language is very powerful. Language does not just describe reality. Language creates the reality it describes.

It is hard to fight desire; but to control it is the sign of a reasonable man.

We seldom realize, for example that our most private thoughts and emotions are not actually our own. For we think in terms of languages and images which we did not invent, but which were given to us by our society.

And this sensitivity will create new friendships for you - friendships with trees, with birds, with animals, with mountains, with rivers, with oceans, with stars. Life becomes richer as love grows.