The great use of copying, if it be at all useful, should seem to be in learning color; yet even coloring will never be perfectly attained by servilely copying the model before you.

There is no expedient to which a man will not resort to avoid the real labor of thinking.

The real character of a man is found out by his amusements.

Few have been taught to any purpose who have not been their own teachers.

A room hung with pictures is a room hung with thoughts.

Our Exhibitions [The Royal Academy] have... a mischievous tendency, by seducing the Painter to an ambition of pleasing indiscriminately the mixed multitude of people who resort to them.

Art in its perfection is not ostentatious; it lies hid and works its effect, itself unseen.

The great end of all arts is to make an impression on the imagination and the feeling. The imitation of nature frequently does this. Sometimes it fails and something else succeeds.

A mere copier of nature can never produce anything great.

Taste depends upon those finer emotions which make the organization of the soul.

Genius is supposed to be a power of producing excellences which are put of the reach of the rules of art: a power which no precepts can teach, and which no industry can acquire.

By their very nature, idiots do not have the intellectual capacity to identify genius. All that idiots are mentally equipped to recognize are other idiots.

The best way to make dream come true is to wake up.

In meditation have a complete focus on light, brightness, spiritual oneness, God, infinity, eternity. You know - silly things.

A good emcee will rhyme a lot of different ways. Don't limit yourself.

He who has access to the fountain does not go to the water-pot.

Never ever depend on governments or institutions to solve any major problems. All social change comes from the passion of individuals.

For the first time in my life, I'm proud of myself

To follow the path that others have laid before you is a reasonable course of action; therefore all progress is made by unreasonable men.

That is the explanation of war, an outrage by humanity upon humanity in despite of humanity.

I will be as harsh as truth and as uncompromising as justice.