Man ceased to be an ape, vanquished the ape, on the day the first book was written.

Almost all human affairs are tedious. Everything is too long. Visits, dinners, concerts, plays, speeches, pleadings, essays, sermons, are too long. Pleasure and business labor equally under this defect, or, as I should rather say, this fatal super-abundance.

Offended vanity is the great separator in social life.

Some persons, instead of making a religion for their God, are content to make a god of their religion.

There are no better cosmetics than a severe temperance and purity, modesty and humility, a gracious temper and calmness of spirit; and there is no true beauty without the signatures of these graces in the very countenance.

Man ceased to be an ape, vanquished the ape, on the day the first book was written.

Infinite toil would not enable you to sweep away a mist; but by ascending a little you may often look over it altogether.