We are long before we are convinced that happiness is never to be found and each believes it possessed by others to keep alive the hope of obtaining it for himself.

There is a difference between happiness and wisdom: he that thinks himself the happiest man is really so but he that thinks himself the wisest is generally the greatest fool.

The man who is aware of himself is henceforward independent and he is never bored and life is only too short and he is steeped through and through with a profound yet temperate happiness.

Nothing flatters a man as much as the happiness of his wife he is always proud of himself as the source of it.

Money is human happiness in the abstract he then who is no longer capable of enjoying human happiness in the concrete devotes himself utterly to money.

It is necessary to the happiness of man that he be mentally faithful to himself. Infidelity does not consist in believing or in disbelieving it consists in professing to believe what he does not believe.

The great pleasure of a dog is that you may make a fool of yourself with him and not only will he not scold you but he will make a fool of himself too.

The greatness of man is great in that he knows himself to be wretched. A tree does not know itself to be wretched.

I begin with the principle that all men are bores. Surely no one will prove himself so great a bore as to contradict me in this.

There may be a great fire in our hearts yet no one ever comes to warm himself at it and the passers-by see only a wisp of smoke.

Whoever conquers a free town and does not demolish it commits a great error and may expect to be ruined himself.

No man will make a great leader who wants to do it all himself or get all the credit for doing it.

To vilify a great man is the readiest way in which a little man can himself attain greatness.

Whoever renders service to many puts himself in line for greatness - great wealth great return great satisfaction great reputation and great joy.

The wise man does not expose himself needlessly to danger since there are few things for which he cares sufficiently but he is willing in great crises to give even his life - knowing that under certain conditions it is not worthwhile to live.

The three great ends which a statesman ought to propose to himself in the government of a nation are one Security to possessors two facility to acquirers and three hope to all.

That government is the strongest of which every man feels himself a part.