When I hear somebody sigh, 'Life is hard,' I am always tempted to ask, 'Compared to what?'.

When I hear somebody sigh, 'Life is hard,' I am always tempted to ask, 'Compared to what?'.

I think knowing what you cannot do is more important than knowing what you can.

I think knowing what you cannot do is more important than knowing what you can.

I want there to be no peasant in my kingdom so poor that he cannot have a chicken in his read more

I want there to be no peasant in my kingdom so poor that he cannot have a chicken in his pot every Sunday.

The highest qualities of character… must be earned.

The highest qualities of character… must be earned.

I have noticed that nothing I have never said ever did me any harm.

I have noticed that nothing I have never said ever did me any harm.

Had there been no difficulties and no thorns in the way, then man would have been in his primitive state read more

Had there been no difficulties and no thorns in the way, then man would have been in his primitive state and no progress made in civilization and mental culture.

Imagination is more important than knowledge.

Imagination is more important than knowledge.

It may be that the race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong -- but read more

It may be that the race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong -- but that is the way to bet.

Of all virtues and dignities of the mind, goodness is the greatest, being the character of the Deity; and without read more

Of all virtues and dignities of the mind, goodness is the greatest, being the character of the Deity; and without it, man is a busy, mischievous, wretched thing.