Many things difficult to design prove easy to performance.

Worth seeing, yes; but not worth going to see.

Books have always a secret influence on the understanding; we cannot at pleasure obliterate ideas; he that reads books of science, thogh without any fixed desire of improvement, will grow more knowing.

The end of writing is to instruct; the end of poetry is to instruct by pleasing.

We must consider how very little history there is--I mean real, authentic history. That certain kings reigned and certain battles were fought, we can depend upon as true; but all the coloring, all the philosophy, of history is conjecture.

Whatever is proposed, it is much easier to find reasons for rejecting than embracing.

To read, write, and converse in due proportions, is, therefore, the business of a man of letters.