Nothing hinders a thing from being natural so much as the straining ourselves to make it seem so.

Perfect Valor is to do, without a witness, all that we could do before the whole world.

There may be talent without position, but there is no position without some kind of talent.

The only thing that should astonish us is that anything can yet astonish us.

Nature makes merit, and fortune puts it to work.

Preserving the serious health condition is usually painful.

There are some people upon whom their very faults and failings sit gracefully; and there are others whose very excellencies and accomplishments do not become them.