It is the essence of truth that it is never excessive.... We must not resort to the flame where only light is required.

We see past time in a telescope and present time in a microscope. Hence the apparent enormities of the present.

The earlier works of a man of genius are always preferred to the newer ones, in order to prove that he is going down instead of up.

God made the water but men made the wine.

Many great actions are committed in small struggles.

As for the bishop, the sight of the guillotine was a great shock to him, from which he recovered only slowly.

People generally will soon understand that writers should be judged, not according to rules and species, which are contrary to nature and art, but according to the immutable principles of the art of composition, and the special laws of their individual temperaments.