An element of exaggeration clings to the popular judgment: great vices are made greater, great virtues greater also; interesting incidents are made more interesting, softer legends more soft.

Great and terrible systems of divinity and philosophy lie round about us, which, if true, might drive a wise man mad.

All people are most credulous when they are most happy.

Poverty is an anomaly to rich people; it is very difficult to make out why people who want dinner do not ring the bell.

Not only does a bureaucracy tend to under-government in point of quality; it tends to over-government in point of quantity.

The reason why so few good books are written is, that so few people that can write know anything. In general an author has always lived in a room, has read books, has cultivated science, is acquainted with the style and sentiments of the best authors, but he is out of the way of employing his own eyes and ears. He has nothing to hear and nothing to see. His life is a vacuum.

In my youth I hoped to do great things; now I shall be satisfied to get through without scandal.