"The modern form of things had begun to appeal to me, also (as material for satire) politics, and the lives of the great and little, high up in the social scale"

"It is a useless life that is not consecrated to a great ideal. It is like a stone wasted on the field without becoming a part of any edifice"

"I said when I came into office that I don't want to be a great leader; I want to be a good democrat"

"Politics I supposed to be the second-oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first"

"The moment you think you understand a great work of art, it's dead for you"

"Do not say a little in many words but a great deal in a few"

"Great effort from great motives is the best definition of a happy life"

"Seek the lofty by reading, hearing and seeing great work at some moment every day"

"Now that the House of Commons is trying to become useful, it does a great deal of harm"

"As your faith is strengthened you will find that there is no longer the need to have a sense of control, that things will flow as they will, and that you will flow with them, to your great delight and benefit"

"We worked very hard to make the lyrics suit the music. I can't, like Elton John, for example, compose by lyrics. Elton has a great talent for that. Whatever you give him, including your questions, he composes in half an hour and makes a great song out of it"