Axel Munthe

Axel Munthe 1857-1949

“The wild cruel beast is not behind the bars of the cage. He is in front of it.”

A man can stand a lot as long as he can stand himself. He can live without hope, without friends, without books, even without music, as long as he can listen to his own thoughts

And last but not least, here's my favourite~

"The gods sell their best goods at the cheapest rate. All that is really useful to us can be bought for little money. It is only the superfluous that is put up for sale at a high price. All that is really beautiful is not put up for sale at all but is offered to us as a gift by the immortal gods. We are allowed to watch the sun rise and set, the clouds sailing along in the sky, the forests and the fields, the glorious sea, all without spending a penny. The birds sing for us for nothing, the wild flowers we may pick as we are walking along by the roadside. There is no entrance fee to the starlit hall of the Night...." Axel Munthe (Extract from The Story of San Michele - Excellent!)