A thinking man is the worst enemy the Prince of Darkness can have; every time such an one announces himself, I doubt not there runs a shudder through the nether empire; and new emissaries are trained with new tactics, to, if possible, entrap and hoodwink and handcuff him.

The steam-engine I call fire-demon and great; but it is nothing to the invention of fire.

Great men are the commissioned guides of mankind, who rule their fellows because they are wiser.

They only are wise who know that they know nothing.

Might and right do differ frightfully from hour to hour, but then centuries to try it in, they are found to be identical.

A man's perfection is his work.

Lord Bacon could as easily have created the planets as he could have written Hamlet.