I have no liking for novels or stories - none in the world; and so, whenever I read one - which is not oftener than once in two years, and even in these same cases I seldom read beyond the middle of the book - my distaste for the vehicle always taints my judgment of the literature itself, as a matter of course; and also of course makes my verdict valuless. Are you saying "You have written stories yourself." Quite true: but the fact that an Indian likes to scalp people is no evidence that he likes to be scalped.

The man who is a pessimist before 48 knows too much; if he is an optimist after it, he knows too little.

What do you think of the human mind? I mean, in case you think there is a human mind.

It is no use to keep private information which you can't show off.

When you catch an adjective, kill it - perhaps the best possible advice for budding writers.

Rise early. It is the early bird that catches the worm. Don't be fooled by this absurd law; I once knew a man who tried it. He got up at sunrise and a horse bit him.

The offspring of riches: Pride, vanity, ostentation, arrogance, tyranny