I have discovered that we may be in some degree whatever character we choose. Besides, practice forms a man to anything.

I hate mankind, for I think myself one of the best of them, and I know how bad I am.

I have tried too in my time to be a philosopher; but, I don’t know how, cheerfulness was always breaking in.

Every man should keep minutes of whatever he reads. Every circumstance of his studies should be recorded; what books he has consulted; how much of them he has read; at what times; how often the same authors; and what opinions he formed of them, at different periods of his life. Such an account would much illustrate the history of his mind.

My wife, who does not like journalizing, said it was leaving myself embowelled to posterity – a good strong figure. But I think itis rather leaving myself embalmed. It is certainly preserving myself.

After we came out of the church, we stood talking for some time together of Bishop Berkeley’s ingenious sophistry to prove the non-existence of matter, and that every thing in the universe is merely ideal. I observed, that though we are satisfied his doctrine is not true, it is impossible to refute it. I never shall forget the alacrity with which Johnson answered, striking his foot with mighty force against a large stone, till he rebounded from it, “I refute it thus.

I have discovered that we may be in some degree whatever character we choose. Besides, practice forms a man to anything...

When we know exactly all a man’s views and how he comes to speak and act so and so, we lose any respect for him, though we may love and admire him.

The value of every story depends on its being true. A story is a picture either of an individual or of human nature in general: if it be false, it is a picture of nothing.

All censure of a man’s self is oblique praise.