There is nothing that fear and hope does not permit men to do.

You must rouse into people's consciousness their own prudence and strength, if you want to raise their character.

None are more liable to mistakes than those who act only on second thoughts.

Some of us would be greatly astonished to learn the reasons why others respect us.

Consciousness of our strength increases it.

In a way, the main fault of all books is that they are too long.

Superficial knowledge ... is hurtful to those who possess true genius; for it necessarily draws them away from their main object, wastes their industry over details and subjects foreign to their needs and natural talent, and lastly does not serve, as they flatter themselves, to prove the breadth of their mind. In all ages there have been men of very moderate intelligence who knew much, and so on the contrary, men of the highest intelligence who knew very little. Ignorance is not lack of intelligence, nor knowledge a proof of genius.