Human understanding is marvellously enlightened by daily conversation with men, for we are, otherwise, compressed and heaped up in ourselves, and have our sight limited to the length of our own noses.

My errors are by now natural and incorrigible; but the good that worthy men do the public by making themselves imitable, I shall perhaps do by making myself evitable.

How often our involuntary facial motions testify to the thoughts we were keeping secret, and betray us to those around!

The most beautiful lives, to my mind, are those that conform to the common human pattern, with order, but without miracle and without eccentricity.

There is no passion so contagious as that of fear.

Obsession is the wellspring of genius and madness.

Dreams are faithful interpreters of our inclinations; but there is art required to sort and understand them.