He that revels in a well-chosen library, has innumerable dishes, and all of admirable flavour.

Revolution is engendered by an indignation with tyranny, yet is itself pregnant with tyranny.... An attempt to scrutinize men's thoughts and punish their opinions is of all kinds of despotism the most odious: yet this is peculiarly character of a period of revolution.... There is no period more at war with the existence of liberty.

Invisible things are the only realities; invisible things alone are the things that shall remain.

The first duty of man is to take none of the principles of conduct upon trust; to do nothing without a clear and individual conviction that it is right to be done.

If admiration were not generally deemed the exclusive property of the rich, and contempt the constant lackey of poverty, the love of gain would cease to be an universal problem.

We are so curiously made that one atom put in the wrong place in our original structure will often make us unhappy for life.

Study with desire is real activity; without desire it is but the semblance and mockery of activity.