There is no state of satisfaction, because to himself no man is a success.

I have written chiefly because, though I have often dreaded the necessity, I have found it more painful, in the end, not to write.

Moderation has never yet engineered an explosion

for my own purpose, I defined the art of fiction as experience illuminated.

... the life of the mind is reality, and love without romantic illumination is a spiritless matter.

It would appear, from the best examples, that the proper way of beginning a preface to one's work is with a humble apology for having written at all.

you could have forgiven my committing a sin if you hadn't feared that I had a committed a pleasure as well.