A great chess-player is not a great man, for he leaves the world as he found it. No act terminating in itself constitutes greatness. This will apply to all displays of power or trials of skill, which are confined to the momentary, individual effort, and construct no permanent image or trophy of themselves without them

A distinction has been made between acuteness and subtlety of understanding. This might be illustrated by saying that acuteness consists in taking up the points or solid atoms, subtlety in feeling the air of truth.

A grave blockhead should always go about with a lively one - they show one another off to the best advantage.

Man is a poetical animal, and delights in fiction.

To create an unfavorable impression, it is not necessary that certain things should be true, but that they have been said.

To give a reason for anything is to breed a doubt of it.

Within my heart is lurking suspicion, and base fear, and shame and hate; but above all, tyrannous love sits throned, crowned with her graces, silent and in tears.