The philosopher answered, ‘A tyrant ruled by his lusts is in bondage; a slave who rules his passions is free. King, free yourself!’”

I replied mildly, “But you said you were matter like the stool. I didn’t hear the stool complain!”

for personality is God’s greatest gift to man, the one thing that remains as your body changes. The atoms of oxygen and hydrogen in my body are the same as in yours. My body’s heat can be measured on the same instrument as yours. All bodily energies—chemical, electrical—are alike from man to man. But my thoughts, my feelings, my will are my own.

“The fifth herb is the knowledge that suffering has been given to us by God as from a father, not to harm us, but to cleanse and sanctify us.

“The third is remembrance of past sins: count them, and on the supposition that every sin deserves a day in prison, reckon how many lives you would spend behind bars—you have been let off lightly!

“The second herb is common sense. Whether I rejoice or worry, I shall still be in prison, so why fret?

“The first herb is called contentedness: be satisfied with what you have.

growled. “I’ve learned the value of fasting in prison.” “And what might that be?” I said, “Firstly, it shows that the spirit is master of the body.

“For my part, I admire no progress that is bought with tears and blood, however impressive it may look from outside. Never has any people chosen communism in a free election, or gotten rid of it with another.”