“We, the French, the cleverest people on Earth, we, the exquisite, the charming, incomparable people, -listen, I mean it- we have a weakness for thieves. In our novels, in our plays, in our comic operas, whenever a thief appears, he is interesting. The author knows where the way to success lies. He is scarcely concerned with moral rectitude; the main thing is to please the audience.”

“When we are young we do not look into mirrors. It is when we are old, concerned with our name, our legend, what our lives will mean to the future. We become vain with the names we own, our claims to have been the first eyes, the strongest army, the cleverest merchant. It is when he is old that Narcissus wants a graven image of himself.”

“We scarcely know how much of our pleasure and interest in life comes to us through our eyes until we have to do without them; and part of that pleasure is that the eyes can choose where to look. But the ears can't choose where to listen.”

“Our hope concerning the future is great, and our faith is strong. We know we’ve scarcely scratched the surface of that which will come to pass in the years that lie ahead.”

“We cannot change our past. We can not change the fact that people act in a certain way. We can not change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude.”

“We cannot change our past. We can not change the fact that people act in a certain way. We can not change the inevitaable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. ”