“Why is it, I wonder, that people suffer, when there is so little need, when an effort of will and some hard work would bring them from their misery into peace and contentment.”

“It do seem to me that the life of man is merely a pattern scrawled on Time, with little thought, little care, and no sense of design. Why is it, I wonder, that people suffer, when there is so little need, when an effort of will and some hard work would bring them from their misery into peace and contentment.”

“I never understood why you would ever feel the need to shoot the fish in the barrel. I mean, they're in a barrel, you've already caught them. The hard work's done, they can't escape. So if you want them dead, just drain the water out. Why bring guns into it?”

“Some knowledge is too heavy for children. When you are older and stronger, you can bear it. For now you must trust me to carry it for you.And I was satisfied. More than satisfied--wonderfully at peace. There were answers to mmy hard questions--for now, I was content to leave them in my father's keeping.”

“There is little consolation in the fact that millions of people are unhappier than we are. Why should other people's misery make us happier or more content?”

“If people knew how hard I had to work to gain my mastery, it would not seem so wonderful at all.”