Among the many strange servilities mistaken for pieties, one of the least lovely is that which hopes to flatter God by despising the world, and vilifying human nature.

Books minister to our knowledge, to our guidance, and to our delight, by their truth, their uprightness, and their art.

Science is the systematic classification of experience.

Originality is independence, not rebellion; it is sincerity, not antagonism.

It is unhappily true that much insincere Literature and Art, executed solely with a view to effect, does succeed by deceiving the public.

No man ever made a great discovery without the exercise of the imagination.

We must never assume that which is incapable of proof.

The true function of philosophy is to educate us in the principles of reasoning and not to put an end to further reasoning by the introduction of fixed conclusions.

Insincerity is always weakness; sincerity even in error is strength.

To write much, and to write rapidly, are empty boasts. The world desires to know what you have done, and not how you did it.

Good writers are of necessity rare.

What I do not like about our definitions of genius is that there is in them nothing of the day of judgment, nothing of resounding through eternity and nothing of the footsteps of the Almighty.

I've probably put my 10, 000 hours into writing, but I believe writing well is also greatly influenced by certain intangibles like mood and inspiration.

Living in a castle is objectively romantic.

When a diplomat says yes he means perhaps when he says perhaps he means no when he says no he is no diplomat.

Modern Chinese culture is weak and lackluster.

It's the biggest economic influence in a woman's life whether she can decide when and whether to have children or not.

Office romances are few, short, and not usually destructive.

It is good news, worthy of all acceptation; and yet not too good to be true.

I can't afford to slow down, but I suppose it really depends. As long as there's enough enthusiasm, then one wants to continue.

As we Wizards go, I'm pretty harmless.