Persons of slender intellectual stamina dread competition, as dwarfs are afraid of being run over in the street.

The love of fame is almost another name for the love of excellence; or it is the ambition to attain the highest excellence, sanctioned by the highest authority, that of time.

If we are long absent from our friends, we forget them; if we are constantly with them, we despise them.

The essence of poetry is will and passion.

It might be argued, that to be a knave is the gift of fortune, but to play the fool to advantage it is necessary to be a learned man.

The rule for traveling abroad is to take our common sense with us, and leave our prejudices behind.

We are never so much disposed to quarrel with others as when we are dissatisfied with ourselves.