“Had Windham possessed discretion in debate, or Sheridan in conduct, they might have ruled their age.”

“It is a maxim, that those, to whom everybody allows the second place, have an undoubted title to the first.”

“All panegyrics are mingled with an infusion of poppy.”

“If a man will observe as he walks the streets, I believe he will find the merriest countenances in mourning coaches.”

“If a man makes me keep my distance, the comfort is, he keeps his at the same time.”

“Write till your ink be dry, and with your tearsMoist it again, and frame some feeling lineThat may discover such integrity.”

“It has come to be practically a sort of rule in literature that a man, having once shown himself capable of original writing, is entitled thenceforth to steal from the writings of others at discretion.”

“My book should smell of pines and resound with the hum of insects.”

“The book written against fame and learning has the author's name on the title-page.”

“There is a good saying to the effect that when a new book appears one should read an old one. As as author I would not recommend too strict an adherence to this saying.”

“Read proudly--put the duty of being read invariably on the author. If he is not read, whose fault is it? I am quite ready to be charmed, but I shall not make-believe I am charmed.”

“I say, without characters, fame lives long.”

“Tongues I'll hang on every treeThat shall civil sayings show. . . .”

“No legacy is so rich as honesty.”

“I say, without characters, fame lives long.”

“Lord Bacon told Sir Edward Coke when he was boasting, The less you speak of your greatness, the more shall I think of it.”

“'Tis better to be vile than vile esteemed, When not to be, receives reproach of being, And the just pleasure lost, which is so deemed, Not by our feeling, but by others' seeing.”

“Let life be short, else shame will be too long.”

“Live in thy shame, but die not shame with thee!”

“Past all shame, so past all truth.”