The general laws of Nature are not, for the most part, immediate objects of perception.

No matter how correct a mathematical theorem may appear to be, one ought never to be satisfied that there was not something imperfect about it until it also gives the impression of being beautiful.

That language is an instrument of human reason, and not merely a medium for the expression of thought, is a truth generally admitted.

It is not of the essence of mathematics to be conversant with the ideas of number and quantity.

Of the many forms of false culture, a premature converse with abstractions is perhaps the most likely to prove fatal to the growth of a masculine vigour of intellect.

IT IS BY CHOICE AND NOT BY CHANCES THAT WE CHANGE OUR CIRCUMSTANCES.

Sturm und Drang?”“Ah…I see that I’ll have to introduce you to the finer points of German literature. It means passionate turmoil—literally translated, ‘storm and stress.’

The sacred soul knows the sacred voice of the Great God.

One of the best things about growing up in New Zealand is that if you are prepared to work hard and have faith in yourself, truly anything is possible.

You can't stop everything from happening. But we've gotten to a point where we're certainly trying. If a car doesn't have four hundred air bags in it, then it's no good.

If I can't dance then I'd rather be dead.

We would be better off thinking of nature as a tiger than as a docile and compliant automaton that can never threaten our survival.

Your turn has come to sift through the dreck of humanity for rare specks of originality

The early '90s were an especially marvelous period for fashion, because it was the peak of glamour and there were no limits as to what you could do.

By far the hardest decision I've had to manage [was about my health]. Because I had 51 years of doing it wrong.