I lived for whole years upon Virgil and found myself well off." Poverty, Horace tells us, drove him to poetry.
Nothing more unmans a man than to take away from him the spur of necessity, which urges him onward and upward to the goal of his ambition.

Man is naturally lazy, and wealth induces indolence.

The great object of life is development, the unfolding and drawing out of our powers, and whatever tempts us to a life of indolence or inaction, or to seek pleasure merely, whatever furnishes us a crutch when we can develop our muscles better by walking, all helps, guides, props, whatever tempts to a life of inaction, in whatever guise it may come, is a curse.

I always pity the boy or girl with inherited wealth, for the temptation to hide their talents in a napkin, undeveloped, is very, very great.

It is not natural for them to walk when they can ride, to go alone when they can be helped.
Quentin Matsys was a blacksmith at Antwerp.