Almost every man we meet requires some civility; requires to be humored; - he has some fame, some talent, some whim of religion or philanthropy in his head that is not to be questioned, and which spoils all conversation with him. But a friend is a sane man who exercises not my ingenuity, but me.

The peace of the man who has forsworn the use of the bullet seems to me not quite peace, but a canting impotence.

We do not yet trust the unknown powers of thought. Whence came all these tools, inventions, book laws, parties, kingdoms? Out of the invisible world, through a few brains. The arts and institutions of men are created out of thought. The powers that make the capitalist are metaphysical, the force of method and force of will makes trade, and builds towns.

Society has really no graver interest than the well-being of the literary class.

The world makes way for the man who knows where he is going

Genius has no taste for weaving sand.

The reason of idleness and of crime is the deferring of our hopes.