They are the only honest hypocrites, their life is a voluntary dream, a studied madness.

An honest man speaks the truth, though it may give offence; a vain man, in order that it may.

A Whig is properly what is called a Trimmer - that is, a coward to both sides of the question, who dare not be a knave nor an honest man, but is a sort of whiffing, shuffling, cunning, silly, contemptible, unmeaning negation of the two.

The definition of genius is that it acts unconsciously, and those who have produced immortal works have done so without knowing how or why.

We prefer a person with vivacity and high spirits, though bordering upon insolence, to the timid and pusillanimous; we are fonder of wit joined to malice than of dullness without it.

The Princess Borghese, Bonaparte's sister, who was no saint, sat to Canova as a reclining Venus, and being asked if she did not feel a little uncomfortable, replied, "No. There was a fire in the room."

We often forget our dreams so speedily: if we cannot catch them as they are passing out at the door, we never set eyes on them again.