You cannot, by all the lecturing in the world, enable a man to make a shoe.

Those who will not take the trouble to think for themselves, have always somebody that thinks for them; and the difficulty in writing is to please those from whom others learn to be pleased.

An author places himself uncalled before the tribunal of criticism and solicits fame at the hazard of disgrace.

Never believe extraordinary characters which you hear of people. Depend upon it, they are exaggerated. You do not see one man shoot a great deal higher than another.

Pride is a vice, which pride itself inclines every man to find in others, and to overlook in himself

Youth enters the world with very happy prejudices in her own favor. She imagines herself not only certain of accomplishing every adventure, but of obtaining those rewards which the accomplishment may deserve. She is not easily persuaded to believe that the force of merit can be resisted by obstinacy and avarice, or its luster darkened by envy and malignity.

Nothing is little to him that feels it with great sensibility.