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.

If we wish to know the force of human genius, we should read Shakespeare. If we wish to see the insignificance of human learning, we may study his commentators.

The surest hindrance of success is to have too high a standard of refinement in our own minds, or too high an opinion of the judgment of the public. He who is determined not to be satisfied with anything short of perfection will never do anything to please himself or others.

We are not satisfied to be right, unless we can prove others to be quite wrong.

Truth from the mouth of an honest man and severity from a good-natured man have a double effect.

To great evils we submit, we resent little provocations.

The smallest pain in our little finger gives us more concern than the destruction of millions of our fellow beings.