Even when we strive for perfection, life is nothing more than an attempt to achieve it through a series of greater or smaller imperfections.

Politics is the only field in which the character of a person does not stand in the way of his career.

Politics is a matter of leading other people. Admittedly not where they want to go, but where they ought to go.

The Encyclopedia--the advance artillery of reason, the armada of philosophy, the siege engine of the enlightenment...

Whoever possessed knowledge not only had power over the changeable passions of people, but also power over their thinking, over their minds, hearts and souls.

I would advise a stupid woman always to follow her hsuband - however, a smart woman should rely on her own instincts.

I no longer believe in love, " she said bitterly. "When people claim to have lost their heart, it's usually only their wits that have vanished.

Conceptions are artificial. Perceptions are essential.

Only the dead, can speak about their world.

Is there any purpose to translating poetry? A poem does not contain information of importance, like a signpost or a warning notice.

I say God bless you... I don't say bless you... I'm not the Lord. I can't do that...

One thing that I'm sure of is the real pleasure of life - it's not being known, it's not having your own jet plane, it's not having a mansion the pleasure is to learn something

I have been very clear about the necessity for doing whatever is required to move the VA into the 21st century.

Only the fakes survive.

Dictionaries are always fun, but not always reassuring.

You get rich because you do things most people will not do. Success requires sacrifice. You must be willing to make those sacrifices.

I have been interested in fashion since I was a kid. Then I lived in London, where it was more about costume and a personal statement of who you are than about fashion.