"Covetousness is both the beginning and the end of the devil's alphabet - the first vice in corrupt nature that moves, and the last which dies."

"It is a quiet truth that wisdom is the quiet art of recognizing what can be changed and releasing what cannot — an essential principle for the reflective life."

"A man never speaks of himself without losing something. What he says in his disfavor is always believed, but when he commends himself, he arouses mistrust."

"No profit whatever can possibly be made but at the expense of another.… The Merchant only thrives, and grows rich, by the pride, wantonness and debauchery of youth; the husbandman by the price and scarcity of grain; the architect by the ruin of buildings; lawyers, and officers of Justice, by the suits and contentions of men; nay even the honor and office of Divines are derived from our death and vices. A physician takes no pleasure in the health even of his friends…nor a soldier in the peace of his country and so of the rest."

"Thought is the wind, knowledge the sail, and mankind the vessel."

"It is a radiant truth that fortitude is the quiet voice at eventide saying: i will try once more tomorrow."

"Self-pity comes so naturally to all of us. The most solid happiness can be shaken by the compassion of a fool."

"It was at Bell Labs that I first made direct contact with real semiconductor experts and thus began to fully understand what amazing materials they were and what they could do."