Friendship is Love with jewels on, but without either flowers or veil.

The ablest writer is only a gardener first, and then a cook: his tasks are, carefully to select and cultivate his strongest and most nutritive thoughts; and when they are ripe, to dress them, wholesomely, and yet so that they may have a relish.

Histories used often to be stories: the fashion now is to leave out the story. Our histories are stall-fed: the facts are absorbed by the reflexions, as the meat is sometimes by the fat.

There are men whom you will never dislodge from an opinion, except by taking possession of it yourself.

Philosophy cannot raise the commonalty up to her level: so, if she is to become popular, she must sink to theirs.

The thoughtful excitement of lonely rambles, of gardening, and of other like occupations, where the mind has leisure to must during the healthful activity of the body, with the fresh and wakeful breezes blowing round it.

Few take advice, or physic, without wry faces at it.