“Manners are easy," said Coningsby, "and life is hard.”

Source: The Professor Of Desire

Source: Rich Dad, Poor Dad

Source: Jitterbug Perfume (1984)

Как легко, доктор, быть философом на бумаге и как это трудно на деле!
Act IV http://books.google.com/books?id=ENtYy7K9UmIC&q=%22%D0%9A%D0%B0%D0%BA+%D0%BB%D0%B5%D0%B3%D0%BA%D0%BE+%D0%B4%D0%BE%D0%BA%D1%82%D0%BE%D1%80+%D0%B1%D1%8B%D1%82%D1%8C+%D1%84%D0%B8%D0%BB%D0%BE%D1%81%D0%BE%D1%84%D0%BE%D0%BC+%D0%BD%D0%B0+%D0%B1%D1%83%D0%BC%D0%B0%D0%B3%D0%B5+%D0%B8+%D0%BA%D0%B0%D0%BA+%D1%8D%D1%82%D0%BE+%D1%82%D1%80%D1%83%D0%B4%D0%BD%D0%BE+%D0%BD%D0%B0+%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BB%D0%B5%22&pg=PT51#v=onepage
The Seagull (1896)

Source: Slam!

"Obstacles to Happiness", p. 78
Awareness (1992)
Context: Happiness is our natural state. Happiness is the natural state of little children, to whom the kingdom belongs until they have been polluted and contaminated by the stupidity of society and culture. To acquire happiness you don't have to do anything, because happiness cannot be acquired. Does anybody know why? Because we have it already. How can you acquire what you already have? Then why don't you experience it? Because you've got to drop something. You've got to drop illusions. You don't have to add anything in order to be happy; you've got to drop something. Life is easy, life is delightful. It's only hard on your illusions, your ambitions, your greed, your cravings. Do you know where these things come from? From having identified with all kinds of labels!

[http://www.jfklibrary.org/Research/Research-Aids/Ready-Reference/JFK-Quotations.aspx Response to letter sent by Miss Theodate Johnson, Publisher of Musical America to the two presidential candidates requesting their views on music in relation to the Federal Government and domestic world affairs (13 September 1960); published in Musical America (October 1960), p. 11; later inscribed on the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, D.C.
1960
Context: There is a connection, hard to explain logically but easy to feel, between achievement in public life and progress in the arts. The age of Pericles was also the age of Phidias. The age of Lorenzo de Medici was also the age of Leonardo da Vinci. The age of Elizabeth was also the age of Shakespeare. And the New Frontier for which I campaign in public life, can also be a New Frontier for American art.

Source: Island: Collected Stories