
April 18, 1867.
Letters to Carl Nägeli
Wildlife Wars: My Fight to Save Africa's Natural Treasures (2001) with Virginia Morell
April 18, 1867.
Letters to Carl Nägeli
“I don't know who my parents were. I know nothing about my inheritance.”
Academy of Achievement interview (1991)
Context: I don't know who my parents were. I know nothing about my inheritance. I could be Jewish; I could be part Negro; I could be Irish; I could be Russian. I am spiritually a mix anyway, but I did have a solid childhood fortunately, because of some wonderful women who brought me up. I never had a father or a man in the house, and that was a loss, but you live with that loss.
Hunger of Memory: The Education of Richard Rodriguez (1982)
Brown : The Last Discovery of America (2003)
NBC's Meet The Press (3 October 1999) responding to criticism of his remarks in Playboy magazine.
Context: I speak my mind. If it offends some people, well, there's not much I can do about that. But I'm going to be honest. I'm going to continue to speak my mind, and that's who I am...
“I do not speak the minds of others except to speak my own mind better.”
Je ne dis les autres, sinon pour d'autant plus me dire.
Book I, Ch. 26
Essais (1595), Book I
Variant: I quote others only in order the better to express myself.
“This is the worst trait of minds rendered arrogant by prosperity, they hate those whom they have injured.”
Hoc habent pessimum animi magna fortuna insolentes: quos laeserunt et oderunt.
De Ira (On Anger): Book 2, cap. 33, line 6
Alternate translation: Men whose spirit has grown arrogant from the great favour of fortune have this most serious fault – those whom they have injured they also hate. (translation by John W. Basore)
Alternate translation: Whom they have injured they also hate. (translator unknown).
Moral Essays
“I speak my mind, because it hurts to bite my tongue”