The girl of the period sets up to be natural, and is only rude; mistakes insolence for innocence; says everything that comes first to her lips, and thinks she is gay when she is only giddy.

A nation will not count the sacrifice it makes, if it supposes it is engaged in a struggle for its fame, its influence and its existence.

A new acquaintance is like a new book. I prefer it, even if bad, to a classic.

Nine-tenths of existing books are nonsense, and the clever books are the refutation of that nonsense.

I say that justice is truth in action.

I pride myself in recognizing and upholding ability in every party and wherever I meet it.

Fame and power are the objects of all men. Even their partial fruition is gained by very few; and that, too, at the expense of social pleasure, health, conscience, life.