The moral virtues, then, are produced in us neither by nature nor against nature. Nature, indeed, prepares in us the ground for their reception, but their complete formation is the product of habit.

All human actions have one or more of these seven causes: chance, nature, compulsions, habit, reason, passion, desire.

Trees are the earth's endless effort to speak to the listening heaven.

A lot of people like snow. I find it to be an unnecessary freezing of water.

There are certain things in which mediocrity is not to be endured, such as poetry, music, painting, public speaking.

Those who have virtue always in their mouths, and neglect it in practice, are like a harp, which emits a sound pleasing to others, while itself is insensible of the music.

He who joyfully marches to music in rank and file has already earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord would suffice.

Music is love in search of a word.

Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.

Film lovers are sick people.

A film is - or should be - more like music than like fiction. It should be a progression of moods and feelings. The theme, what's behind the emotion, the meaning, all that comes later.

I'd wake up in the morning and I would think, 'Where am I?' I'd have to gather myself.

In the morning a man walks with his whole body in the evening, only with his legs.

The American Republic will endure until the day Congress discovers that it can bribe the public with the public's money.

I had really great parents who always gave me lots of opportunity for choice, but I didn't always realize how rare that was for a girl for them to say, 'You can be a mom or have a career or do both or...

I was embarrassed that I even wanted to become an actress because coming from L.A., with two older sisters in the business and a mom who had been a ballet dancer, it was such a cliche.

Growing up my whole life, my mom was telling me how incredible and special I was and that I was going to change the world. I think it's important for girls to know that they can change the world, that...

I think while all mothers deal with feelings of guilt, working mothers are plagued by guilt on steroids!

To tax and to please, no more than to love and to be wise, is not given to men.

It is past time for women to take their rightful place, side by side with men, in the rooms where the fates of peoples, where their children's and grandchildren's fates, are decided.