What can we see, read, acquire, but ourselves. Take the book, my friend, and read your eyes out, you will never find there what I find.

I am the owner of the sphere, Of the seven stars and the solar year, of Caesar's hand, and Plato's brain, Of Lord Christ's heart, and Shakespeare's strain.

Courage charms us, because it indicates that a man loves an idea better than all things in the world, that he is thinking neither of his bed, nor his dinner, nor his money, but will venture all to put in act the invisible thought of his mind.

When nature has work to be done, she creates a genius to do it.

Convert life into truth.

People that seem so glorious are all show; underneath they are like everyone else.

Whatever is old corrupts, and the past turns to snakes.