Pity a thing often avowed, seldom felt; hatred is a thing often felt, seldom avowed.

It is with nations as with individuals, those who know the least of others think the highest of themselves; for the whole family of pride and ignorance are incestuous, and mutually beget each other.

Examinations are formidable even to the best prepared, for the greatest fool may ask more than the wisest man can answer.

Imitation is the sincerest of flattery.

Those who have resources within themselves, who can dare to live alone, want friends the least, but, at the same time, best know how to prize them the most. But no company is far preferable to bad, because we are more apt to catch the vices of others than their virtues, as disease is far more contagious than health.

If it be true that men of strong imaginations are usually dogmatists--and I am inclined to think it is so--it ought to follow that men of weak imaginations are the reverse; in which case we should have some compensation for stupidity. But it unfortunately happens that no dogmatist is more obstinate or less open to conviction than a fool.

Men of great and shining qualities do not always succeed in life, but the fault lies more often in themselves than in others.