Our wisdom and deliberation for the most part follow the lead of chance.

Certainly, if he still has himself, a man of understanding has lost nothing.

Custom is a second nature, and no less powerful.

We have so much ill fortune as inconstancy, or so much bad purpose as folly, we are not so full of evil as we are of inanity; we are not so wretched as we are base

I aim here only at revealing myself, who will perhaps be different tomorrow, if I learn something new which changes me.

It is a stupid presumption to go about despising and condemning as false anything that seems to us improbable; this is a common fault in those who think they have more intelligence than the crowd.

My library is my kingdom, and here I try to make my rule absolute-shutting off this single nook from wife, daughter and society. Elsewhere I have only a verbal authority, and vague. Unhappy is the man, in my opinion, who has no spot at home where he can be at home to himself-to court himself and hide away.