Even the best things are not equal to their fame.

In civilization, as in a southern latitude, man degenerates at length, and yields to the incursion of more northern tribes.

You must love the crust of the earth on which you dwell more than the sweet crust of any bread or cake. You must be able to extract nutriment out of a sand-heap. You must have so good an appetite as this, else you will live in vain

Paper is cheap, and authors need not now erase one book before they write another. Instead of cultivating the earth for wheat andpotatoes, they cultivate literature, and fill a place in the Republic of Letters. Or they would fain write for fame merely, as others actually raise crops of grain to be distilled into brandy.

Our thoughts are epochs in our lives; all else is but as a journal of the winds that blow while we are here.

I never dreamed of any enormity greater than I have committed. I never knew, and never shall know, a worse man than myself.

Since you are my readers, and I have not been much of a traveler, I will not talk about people a thousand miles off, but come as near home as I can. As the time is short, I will leave out all the flattery, and retain all the criticism.