We owe to memory not only the increase of our knowledge, and our progress in rational inquiries, but many other intellectual pleasures

Those writers who lie on the watch for novelty can have little hope of greatness; for great things cannot have escaped former observation.

Great abilities are not requisite for an Historian; for in historical composition, all the greatest powers of the human mind are quiescent.

Philosophers there are who try to make themselves believe that this life is happy; but they believe it only while they are saying it, and never yet produced conviction in a single mind.

A man will turn over half a library to make one book.

Without frugality none can be rich, and with it very few would be poor.

Knowledge always desires increase, it is like fire, which must first be kindled by some external agent, but which will afterwards propagate itself.