And when midst fallen London, they survey The stone where Alexander's ashes lay, Shall own with humbled pride the lesson must By Time's slow finger written in the dust.

The most characteristic mark of a great mind is to choose some one important object, and pursue it for life.

Let us confess a truth, humiliating to human pride; - a very small part only of the opinions of the coolest philosopher are the result of fair reasoning; the rest are formed by his education, his temperament, by the age in which he lives, by trains of thought directed to a particular track through some accidental association - in short, by prejudice.

many things I knew, I have forgotten; many things I thought I knew, I find I know nothing about; some things I know, I have found not worth knowing; and some things I would give - O what would one not give to know? are beyond the reach of human ken.

if an author would have us feel a strong degree of compassion, his characters must not be too perfect.

Society than solitude is worse, And man to man is still the greatest curse.

We may think all religions beneficial, and believe of one alone that it is true.