Wit & Wisdom

“The blackest despair that can take hold of any society is the fear that living honestly is futile.”

Italian journalist Corrado Alvaro, quoted in the Sydney Australian

“The way to procure insults is to submit to them. A man meets with no more respect than he exacts.”

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William Hazlitt, quoted in Forbes.com

“There can be no happiness if the things we believe in are different from the things we do.”

Explorer Freya Stark, quoted in the Columbia, Mo., Daily Tribune

“The charm of fame is so great that we like every object to which it is attached, even death.”

Blaise Pascal, quoted in the Montreal Gazette

“The great thing about taking big chances when you’re younger is that you have less to lose.”

Amy Poehler, quoted in New York

“Inhabiting a male body is like having a bank account; as long as it’s healthy, you don’t think much about it.”

John Updike, quoted in Entertainment Weekly

“Be like a postage stamp. Stick to one thing until you get there.”

Humorist Josh Billings, quoted in the Moncton, New Brunswick, Times & Transcript