Mika Waltari
I was born and bred in a distant region that cosmographers call Finlandia, a beautiful and far-flung country unknown to most educated people.
During my life I have seen, known, and lost too much to be the prey of vain dread; and, as for the hope of immortality, I am as weary of that as I am of gods and kings. For my own sake only I write this; and herein I differ from all other writers, past and to come.
And thus I'll once repeat my suggestions for the new generation. They are humanness, tolerance and beautiful superfluousness.
A decision once taken brings peace to a man's mind and eases his soul.