Who ever hears of fat men heading a riot, or herding together in turbulent mobs? No – no, your lean, hungry men who are continually worrying society, and setting the whole community by the ears. – Washington Irving
A kind heart is a fountain of gladness, making everything in its vicinity freshen into smiles. – Washington Irving
Sweet is the memory of distant friends! Like the mellow rays of the departing sun, it falls tenderly, yet sadly, on the heart. – Washington Irving
The land of literature is a fairy land to those who view it at a distance, but, like all other landscapes, the charm fades on a nearer approach, and the thorns and briars become visible. – Washington Irving
Complication has penetrated everywhere. Few people have an immediate insight into moral truth such as nature has revealed it. Almost all men, even the least cultivated, only see invisible things through phrases. Intuition is very rare, ready-made phrases are common and cheap. – Alexandre Vinet (1797–1847), Philosophy. First Section: Pure Philosophy. C
Science is now the craft of the manipulation, substitution and deflection of the forces of nature. What I see coming is a gigantic slaughterhouse, an Auschwitz, in which valuable enzymes, hormones, and so on will be extracted instead of gold teeth. – Erwin Chargaff, Columbia Forum, Summer 1969
Even actresses that you really admire, like Reese Witherspoon, you think, Another romantic comedy? You see her in something like Walk the Line and think, God, youre so great! And then you think, Why is she doing these stupid romantic comedies? But of course, its for money and status. – Gwyneth Paltrow