It is not the passion of a mind struggling with misfortune, or the hopelessness of its desires, but of a mind preying on itself, and disgusted with, or indifferent to all other things.

Prejudice is never easy unless it can pass itself off for reason.

If I have not read a book before, it is, for all intents and purposes, new to me whether it was printed yesterday or three hundred years ago.

Poverty is the test of civility and the touchstone of friendship.

Books wind into the heart.

We imagine that the admiration of the works of celebrated men has become common, because the admiration of their names has become so.

The true barbarian is he who thinks everything barbarous but his own tastes and prejudices.