A great deal of talent is lost to the world for the want of a little courage. Every day sends to their graves a number of obscure men who have only remained obscure because their timidity has prevented them from making a first effort; and who, if they could only have been induced to begin, would in all probability have gone great lengths in the career of fame.

Have the courage to be ignorant of a great number of things, in order to avoid the calamity of being ignorant of everything.

The thing about performance, even if it's only an illusion, is that it is a celebration of the fact that we do contain within ourselves infinite possibilities.

Poverty is no disgrace to a man, but it is confoundedly inconvenient.

Manners are the shadows of virtues; the momentary display of those qualities which our fellow creatures love, and respect.

In composing, as a general rule, run your pen through every other word you have written; you have no idea what vigor it will give your style.

Let the Dean and Canons lay their heads together and the thing will be done.