The real duty of man is not to extend his power or multiply his wealth beyond his needs, but to enrich and enjoy his imperishable possession: his soul.

What is politics but persuading the public to vote for this and support that and endure these for the promise of those?

A teacher must believe in the value and interest of his subject as a doctor believes in health.

Language is a living thing. We can feel it changing. Parts of it become old: they drop off and are forgotten. New pieces bud out, spread into leaves, and become big branches, proliferating.

I was a Fine Art major. You do a bit of everything until the final year, when you specialise. I did pencil drawing and sculpture. It's a pretty well-rounded fine art education. I thought that it was viable option to make a living out of art. I'm not sure if I was thinking realistically; maybe I never was. But it had great appeal.

Children are already accustomed to a world that moves faster and is more exciting than anything a teacher in front of a classroom can do.

Young people have this almost romantic attachment to civil rights, liberties, emancipating people from oppression, etc. The idea that such oppression exists in this country offends me, but it's able to be pushed and sold because education in this country is so woefully incompetent and inept.

Growing up, yeah, I had a magic kit with learn tricks and learn card tricks, but I was never... I used to watch whatever magic special was on as a kid, but then, it's not that I lost interest, but to be a magician, you really, it's really hard work. Learning lines is hard enough; learning sleight of hand, that's real practice.