It is the easiest thing in the world for a man to look as if he had a great secret in him.

Stripped of the cunning artifices of the tailor, and standing forth in the garb of Eden - what a sorry set of round-shouldered, spindle-shanked, crane-necked varlets would civilized men appear!

He seemed to take to me quite as naturally and unbiddenly as I to him; and when our smoke was over, he pressed his forehead against mine, clasped me round the waist, and said that henceforth we were married.

A thing may be incredible and still be true; sometimes it is incredible because it is true.

Nobody is so heartily despised as a pusillanimous, lazy, good-for-nothing, land-lubber; a sailor has no bowels of compassion for him.

Struck dead by an angel of God! Yet the angel must hang!

Failure is the test of greatness.