“Rather by instinct than by guidance, he turned to writing, and his professors or tutors occasionally gave his English composition a hesitating approval; but in that branch, as in all the rest, even when he made a long struggle for recognition, he never convinced his teachers that his abilities, at their best, warranted placing him on the rank-list, among the first third of his class. Instructors generally reach a fairly accurate gauge of their scholars' powers.”

“There is no truer gauge of a man's character than the way in which he employs his strength, his power.”

“A self-aware person, who knows his strengths and weaknesses, has more than enough confidence to achieve what he wants. Even so, he does not need recognition from others. When he reaches his goal, recognition will come naturally.”

“He would rather lose his power for doing right, than keep his power by doing wrong. Because he loves his people more than he loves his office.”

“He (the Professor) was a failure but did his best to hid it. One of his failings was that he could barely write, except in a twelfth century hand, in Latin, with abbreviations.”

“He knew only that his child was his warrant. He said: If he is not the word of God God never spoke.”

“He was decisive and wholehearted in everything he did, so intent non the task at hand that he never looked over his shoulder, even if his cloak got caught in a thorny bush. When he did turn to speak to somebody, he used to swing his entire body and dress him full face. When he shook hands, he was never the first to withdraw his own. He inspired such confidence that he was known as al-Amin, the Reliable One.”

“He was afraid of touching his own wrist. He never attempted to sleep on his left side, even in those dismal hours of the night when the insomniac longs for a third side after trying the two he has.”

“There comes a time when the student turns his back on the teacher. His playing cannot have the necessary security, autonomy, self-faith, or communicative power until he believes his interpretation is his own.”

“As a teacher, as a propagandist, Shaw is no good at all, even in his own generation. But as a personality, he is immortal.”