They who, without any previous knowledge of us, think amiss of us, do us no harm; they attack not us, but the phantom of their own imagination.

Criticism is often not a science; it is a craft, requiring more good health than wit, more hard work than talent, more habit than native genius. In the hands of a man who has read widely but lacks judgment, applied to certain subjects it can corrupt both its readers and the writer himself.

A man's worth is estimated in this world according to his conduct.

Amongst such as out of cunning hear all and talk little, be sure to talk less; or if you must talk, say little.

Misers are neither relations, nor friends, nor citizens, nor Christians, nor perhaps even human beings.

Next to sound judgment, diamonds and pearls are the rarest things in the world.

All of our unhappiness comes from our inability to be alone.