Habitual liars invent falsehoods not to gain any end or even to deceive their hearers, but to amuse themselves. It is partly practice and partly habit. It requires an effort in them to speak truth.

There are only three pleasures in life pure and lasting, and all derived from inanimate things-books, pictures and the face of nature.

Art must anchor in nature, or it is the sport of every breath of folly.

The more we do, the more we can do.

I can enjoy society in a room; but out of doors, nature is company enough for me

The love of letters is the forlorn hope of the man of letters. His ruling passion is the love of fame.

People do not seem to talk for the sake of expressing their opinions, but to maintain an opinion for the sake of talking.