To impress the idea of power on others, they must be made in some way to feel it.

The essence of poetry is will and passion.

It is only necessary to raise a bugbear before the English imagination in order to govern it at will. Whatever they hate or fear, they implicitly believe in, merely from the scope it gives to these passions.

The only true retirement is that of the heart; the only true leisure is the repose of the passions. To such persons it makes little difference whether they are young or old; and they die as they have lived, with graceful resignation.

We can bear to be deprived of everything but our self-conceit.

Reflection makes men cowards.

The English (it must be owned) are rather a foul-mouthed nation.