That monstrous tuberosity of civilised life, the capital of England.

When Pococke inquired of Grotius, where the proof was of that story of the pigeon, trained to pick peas from Mahomet's (Muhammad's) ear, and pass for an angel dictating to him? Grotius answered that there was no proof!

Habit is the deepest law of human nature

In books lies the soul of the whole Past Time; the articulate audible voice of the Past, when the body and material substance of it has altogether vanished like a dream.

Nothing that was worthy in the past departs; no truth or goodness realized by man ever dies, or can die.

Without oblivion, there is no remembrance possible. When both oblivion and memory are wise, when the general soul of man is clear, melodious, true, there may come a modern Iliad as memorial of the Past.

A frightful dialect for the stupid, the pedant and dullard sort.