When the painter wishes to represent an event, he cannot place before us too great a number of personages; but he cannot employ too few when he wishes to portray an emotion.

The early and the latter part of human life are the best, or, at least, the most worthy of respect; the one as the age of innocence, the other of reason.

We shall always keep a spare corner in our heads to give passing hospitality to our friends' opinion.

A man who shows no defect is a fool or a hypocrite, whom we should mistrust. There are defects so bound to fine qualities that they announce them,--defects which it is well not to correct.

There is an admiration which is the daughter of knowledge.

Monuments are the grappling-irons that bind one generation to another.

The soul paints itself in our machines.