The obscurity of a writer is generally in proportion to his incapacity.

A great part of art consists in imitation. For the whole conduct of life is based on this: that what we admire in others we want to do ourselves.

Without natural gifts technical rules are useless.

Prune what is turgid, elevate what is commonplace, arrange what is disorderly, introduce rhythm where the language is harsh, modify where it is too absolute.

It is much easier to try one's hand at many things than to concentrate one's powers on one thing.

The soul languishing in obscurity contracts a kind of rust, or abandons itself to the chimera of presumption; for it is natural for it to acquire something, even when separated from any one.

Nothing is more dangerous to men than a sudden change of fortune.