A man is known by the books he reads, by the company he keeps, by the praise he gives, by his dress, by his tastes, by his distastes, by the stories he tells, by his gait, by the notion of his eye, by the look of his house, of his chamber; for nothing on earth is solitary but every thing hath affinities infinite.

Don't ever give up on something or someone that you can't go a full day without thinking about.

Society is the stage on which manners are shown; novels are the literature. Novels are the journal or record of manners; and the new importance of these books derives from the fact, that the novelist begins to penetrate the surface, and treat this part of life more worthily.

Men such as they are, very naturally seek money or power; and power because it is as good as money.

Each man has an aptitude born with him. Do your work.

The poor are only they who feel poor.

No institution will be better than the institutor.