Marriage, by making us more contented, causes us often to be less enterprising.

The passions are like fire, useful in a thousand ways and dangerous only in one, through their excess.

Merit is never so conspicuous as when coupled with an obscure origin, just as the moon never appears so lustrous as when it emerges from a cloud.

Weakness ineffectually seeks to disguise itself,--like a drunken man trying to show how sober he is.

The great artist is a slave to his ideals.

Fortune, like a coy mistress, loves to yield her favors, though she makes us wrest them from her.

There is great beauty in going through life without anxiety or fear. Half our fears are baseless, and the other half discreditable.