I do not know at first what it is that harms me. The men and things of to-day are wont to be fairer and truer in to-morrow's memory.

I have not the most definite designs on the future.

The future is too soon the past. So make perseverance your excellence and go confidently in the direction of your dreams.

I may add that I am enjoying existence as much as ever, and regret nothing.

The success of great scholars and thinkers is commonly a courtier-like success, not kingly, not manly.

I have lately got back to that glorious society called Solitude.

Statesmen and legislators, standing so completely within the institution, never distinctly and nakedly behold it. They speak of moving society, but they have no resting-place without it. They may be men of a certain experience and discrimination, and have no doubt invented ingenious and even useful systems, for which we sincerely thank them; but all their wit and usefulness lie within certain not very wide limits. They are wont to forget that the world is not governed by policy and expediency.