The prudent see only the difficulties, the bold only the advantages, of a great enterprise; the hero sees both; diminishes the former and makes the latter preponderate, and so conquers.

The more honesty a man has, the less he affects the air of a saint.

He who goes round about in his requests wants commonly more than he chooses to appear to want.

Each particle of matter is an immensity, each leaf a world, each insect an inexplicable compendium.

No communication or gift can exhaust genius or impoverish charity.

Let the degree of egotism be the measure of confidence.

Receive no satisfaction for premeditated impertinence - forget it, forgive it - but keep him inexorably at a distance who of∣fered it.