No one ever complains if a great artist says that he was driven to create a masterpiece by a hunger for recognition and money.But a scientist? Well, he ismeant to be disinterested, pure, his ambition merely to descry the cement of the universe. He isn't meant to use it to start laying his own patio.

-Self,Will
The QuantityTheory of Insanity and Five Supporting Propositions,'The QuantityTheory of Insanity'.

Whatever may have been my enthusiasm or impatience to be up and doing on the night before, the hour for getting up always finds me with no other ambition in the world than to be permitted to lie where I am and sleep, sleep, sleep.Not soTilman.Ihave never met anyonewith such a complete disregard for the sublime comforts of the early morning bed. However monstrously early we might decide, thenight before, toget up, hewas about at least half an hour before the time. He was generally very good about it, and used to sit placidly smoking his pipe over the fire.

-Shipton, Eric Earle
  On climbing with H W (Bill) Tilman. Nanda Devi.

Ambition if it feeds at all, does so on the ambition of others.

-Sontag, Susan
  The Benefactor, ch.1.

   Ambition, madam, is a great man's madness, That is not kept in chains, and close-pent rooms, But in fair lightsome lodgings, and isgirt With the wild noise of prattling visitants, Which makes it lunatic beyond all cure.

-Webster,John
  The Duchess of Malfi, act1, sc.1.