He that hath wife and children hath given hostages to fortune for they are impediments to great enterprises either of virtue or mischief.
A cloudy day or a little sunshine have as great an influence on many constitutions as the most recent blessings or misfortunes.
What is most important for democracy is not that great fortunes should not exist but that great fortunes should not remain in the same hands. In that way there are rich men but they do not form a class.
Moderation has been called a virtue to limit the ambition of great men and to console undistinguished people for their want of fortune and their lack of merit.
There is a kind of elevation which does not depend on fortune it is a certain air which distinguishes us and seems to destine us for great things it is a price which we imperceptibly set upon ourselves.
A great mind becomes a great fortune.
A great fortune is a great slavery.
All the ills of mankind all the tragic misfortunes that fill the history books all the political blunders all the failures of the great leaders have arisen merely from a lack of skill at dancing.
Ignorance of all things is an evil neither terrible nor excessive nor yet the greatest of all but great cleverness and much learning if they be accompanied by a bad training are a much greater misfortune.
Little minds are tamed and subdued by misfortune but great minds rise above them.
Behind every great fortune lies a great crime.
The government's War on Poverty has transformed poverty from a short-term misfortune into a career choice.
Henceforth I ask not good fortune. I myself am good fortune.
The less we deserve good fortune the more we hope for it.
The bad fortune of the good turns their faces up to heaven the good fortune of the bad bows their heads down to the earth.
There are good and bad times but our mood changes more often than our fortune.
I have always believed and I still believe that whatever good or bad fortune may come our way we can always give it meaning and transform it into something of value.