When an acquaintance goes by I often step back from my window, not so much to spare him the effort of acknowledging me as to spare myself the embarrassment of seeing that he has not done so.

A writer who wishes to be read by posterity must not be averse to putting hints which might give rise to whole books, or ideas for learned discussions, in some corner of a chapter so that one should think he can afford to throw them away by the thousand.

If we make a couple of discoveries here and there we need not believe things will go on like this for ever. Just as we hit water when we dig in the earth, so we discover the incomprehensible sooner or later.

The thoughts written on the walls of madhouses by their inmates might be worth publicizing.

How did mankind ever come by the idea of liberty? What a grand thought it was!

The greater part of human misery is caused by indolence.

Libraries can in general be too narrow or too wide for the soul.