An author is often obscure to the reader because they proceed from the thought to expression than like the reader from the expression to the thought.

Intelligent people make many mistakes because they cannot believe the world is really as foolish as it is.

The new friends whom we make after attaining a certain age and by whom we would fain replace those whom we have lost, are to our old friends what glass eyes, false teeth and wooden legs are to real eyes, natrual teeth and legs of flesh and bone.

Most benefactors are like unskillful generals who take the city and leave the citadel intact.

It is with happiness as with watches: the less complicated, the less easily deranged.

There are more fools than wise men, and even in a wise man there is more folly than wisdom.

Nearly all men are slaves for the same reason that the Spartans assigned for the servitude of the Persians -- lack of power to pronounce the syllable, "No." To be able to utter that word and live alone, are the only means to preserve one's freedom and one's character.