No man ever praised two persons equally—and pleased them both. — Arthur Helps

"Our knowledge of human nature is for the most part empirical; and it would often be better, if, instead of endeavouring to say some new things ourselves, we were to confirm without more words the sayings of another."

"Self-indulgence takes many forms; and we should bear in mind that there may be a sullen sensuality as well as a gay one."

"There is one statesman of the present day, of whom I always say that he would have escaped making the blunders that he has made if he had only ridden more in omnibuses."

"You must work for yourself; for what you reject may be as important for you to have seen and thought about, as what you adopt."

"Even the most careless people have a sort of aversion to signing things which they have never considered."

"How often we should stop in the pursuit of folly, if it were not for the difficulties that continually beckon us onwards."