A heap of epithets is poor praise: the praise lies in the facts, and in the way of telling them.

The pleasure we feel in criticizing robs us from being moved by very beautiful things.

A woman with eyes only for one person, or with eyes always averted from him, creates exactly the same impression.

One must laugh before one is happy, or one may die without ever laughing at all.

One faithful Friend is enough for a man's self, 'tis much to meet with such an one, yet we can't have too many for the sake of others.

A man starts upon a sudden, takes Pen, Ink, and Paper, and without ever having had a thought of it before, resolves within himself he will write a Book; he has no Talent at Writing, but he wants fifty Guineas.

The sublime only paints the true, and that too in noble objects; it paints it in all its phases, its cause and its effect; it is the most worthy expression or image of this truth. Ordinary minds cannot find out the exact expression, and use synonymes.