Leonardo da Vinci

Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci (15 April 1452 – 2 May 1519) Italian polymath of the High Renaissance who was active as a painter, draughtsman, engineer, scientist, theorist, sculptor, and architect.

Realize that everything connects to everything else.
life without love, is no life at all.
Iron rusts from disuse, stagnant water loses its purity, and in cold weather becomes frozen; even so does inaction sap the vigors of the mind.
The artist sees what others only catch a glimpse of.
The time will come when men such as I will look upon the murder of animals as they now look on the murder of men.
You will never have a greater or lesser dominion than that over yourself...the height of a man's success is gauged by his self-mastery; the depth of his failure by his self-abandonment. ...And this law is the expression of eternal justice. He who cannot establish dominion over himself will have no dominion over others.
Every now and then go away, have a little relaxation, for when you come back to your work your judgment will be surer. Go some distance away because then the work appears smaller and more of it can be taken in at a glance and a lack of harmony and proportion is more readily seen.
I thought I was learning to live; I was only learning to die.
One has no right to love or hate anything if one has not acquired a thorough knowledge of its nature. Great love springs from great knowledge of the beloved object, and if you know it but little you will be able to love it only a little or not at all.
As you cannot do what you want, Want what you can do.
The function of muscle is to pull and not to push, except in the case of the genitals and the tongue.
The deeper the feeling, the greater the pain.
It is easier to resist at the beginning than at the end.
I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Being willing is not enough; we must do.
Principles for the Development of a Complete Mind: Study the science of art. Study the art of science. Develop your senses- especially learn how to see. Realize that everything connects to everything else.
There are three classes of people: those who see. Those who see when they are shown. Those who do not see.
The greatest deception men suffer is from their own opinions.
The knowledge of all things is possible.
Learning never exhausts the mind.
I love those who can smile in trouble, who can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. 'Tis the business of little minds to shrink, but they whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves their conduct, will pursue their principles unto death.
As a well spent day brings happy sleep, so life well used brings happy death.
If you are alone you belong entirely to yourself. If you are accompanied by even one companion you belong only half to yourself or even less in proportion to the thoughtlessness of his conduct and if you have more than one companion you will fall more deeply into the same plight.
Art is never finished, only abandoned.
The smallest feline is a masterpiece.
Nothing can be loved or hated unless it is first understood.
I have from an early age abjured the use of meat, and the time will come when men such as I will look upon the murder of animals as they now look upon the murder of men.
The noblest pleasure is the joy of understanding.
One can have no smaller or greater mastery than mastery of oneself.
I love those who can smile in trouble...
Nothing strengthens authority so much as silence.