The really efficient laborer will be found not to crowd his day with work, but will saunter to his task surrounded by a wide halo of ease and leisure.

It’s nice having famous people love you.

Behind every successful man stands a surprised mother-in-law.

Bias has to be taught. If you hear your parents downgrading women or people of different backgrounds, why, you are going to do that.

It seems not more reasonable to leave the right of printing unrestrained, because writers may be afterwards censured, than it would be to sleep with doors unbolted, because by our laws we can hang a thief.

Discern of the coming on of years, and think not to do the same things still; for age will not be defied.

Is there anyone so wise as to learn by the experience of others?

Let us endeavor so to live that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry.

We know what works. Freedom Works. We know what’s right. Freedom is right.

More helpful than all wisdom is one draught of simple human pity that will not forsake us.

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit.

My dad said to me the other day, I really am an artistic person. I was shocked as I never saw him as a creative. I think me and my sisters are living out that side of him as my sister is another creative person, she’s a songwriter.

Those who have never had a father can at any rate never know the sweets of losing one. To most men the death of his father is a new lease of life.

If thou wouldst rule well, thou must rule for God; and to do that, thou must be ruled by him who has given to kings his grace to command themselves and their subjects, and to the people the grace to obey God and their kings.

Everything I record, I just try to sound like me and come up with songs that suit what I do and then just go for it. I never know what the public’s going to like, anyway.

I realize that advice is worth what it costs – that is, nothing.

I don’t like anybody to be angry with me. I’d rather have friends.

Too many jazz pianists limit themselves to a personal style, a trademark, so to speak. They confine themselves to one type of playing. I believe in using the entire piano as a single instrument capable of expressing every possible musical idea. I have no one style. I play as I feel.

I did not breeze in there thinking: ‘I’m going to nail this.’ My heart rate was not low when I was doing the Golden Globes. I wanted to do well. It’s very bizarre to be in a room where everybody in your audience is famous. But also: it’s an awards show!

Chocolate makes everyone smile – even bankers.

There is nothing so bad or so good that you will not find an Englishman doing it; but you will never find an Englishman in the wrong. He does everything on principle. He fights you on patriotic principles; he robs you on business principles; he enslaves you on imperial principles.