The world is seldom what it seems; to man, who dimly sees, realities appear as dreams, and dreams realities.

I look upon this as I did upon the Dictionary: it is all work, and my inducement to it is not love or desire of fame, but the want of money, which is the only motive to writing that I know of.

Such is the common process of marriage. A youth and maiden exchange meeting by chance, or brought together by artifice, exchange glances, reciprocate civilities, go home, and dream of one another. Having little to divert attention, or diversify thought, they find themselves uneasy when they are apart, and therefore conclude that they shall be happy together. They marry, and discover what nothing but voluntary blindness had before concealed; they wear out life in altercations, and charge nature with cruelty.

Money and time are the heaviest burdens of life, and... the unhappiest of all mortals are those who have more of either than they know how to use.

The man who feels himself ignorant should, at least, be modest.

There must always be a struggle between a father and son, while one aims at power and the other at independence.

The essence of poetry is invention; such invention as, by producing something unexpected, surprises and delights.