Much may be done in those little shreds and patches of time which every day produces, and which most men throw away.

The consequences of things are not always proportionate to the apparent magnitude of those events that have produced them. Thus the American Revolution, from which little was expected, produced much; but the French Revolution, from which much was expected, produced little.

He that has energy enough to root out a vice should go further, and try to plant a virtue in its place.

Man is an embodied paradox, a bundle of contradictions.

Books, like friends, should be few and well chosen. Like friends, too, we should return to them again and again for, like true friends, they will never fail us - never cease to instruct - never cloy.

We often pretend to fear what we really despise, and more often despise what we really fear.

Our admiration of fine writing will always be in proportion to its real difficulty and its apparent ease.