Whenever a new finding is reported to the world people say - It is probably not true. Later on, when the reliability of a new finding has been fully confirmed, people say - OK, it may be true but it has no real significance. At last, when even the significance of the finding is obvious to everybody, people say - Well, it might have some significance, but the idea is not new.

Stupidity and wisdom meet in the same centre of sentiment and resolution, in the suffering of human accidents.

When I express my opinions it is so as to reveal the measure of my sight not the measure of the thing.

A liar would be brave toward God, while he is a coward toward men; for a lie faces God, and shrinks from man.

Learning is a good medicine: but no medicine is powerful enough to preserve itself from taint and corruption independently of defects in the jar that it is kept in. One man sees clearly but does not see straight: consequently he sees what is good but fails to follow it; he sees knowledge and does not use it.

A little of everything and nothing thoroughly, after the French fashion.

No wind favors he who has no destined port.