Enthusiasm is that secret and harmonious spirit which hovers over the production of genius.

The most noble criticism is that in which the critic is not the antagonist so much as the rival of the author.

A circle may be small, yet it may be as mathematically beautiful and perfect as a large one.

The ancients, who in these matters were not perhaps such blockheads as some may conceive, considered poetical quotation as one of the requisite ornaments of oratory.

One may quote till one compiles.

The delights of reading impart the vivacity of youth even to old age.

There is an art of reading, as well as an art of thinking, and an art of writing.

Fortune has rarely condescended to be the companion of genius.

The delight of opening a new pursuit, or a new course of reading, imparts the vivacity and novelty of youth even to old age.

Those who do not read criticism will rarely merit to be criticised.

Beware of the man of one book. [Lat., Home unius libri, or, cave ab homine unius libri.]

With sticky thinking you can become unstuck!

I need something, Wax. A place to look. You always did the thinking.”“Yes, having a brain helps with that, surprisingly.

there were worse things than feeling guilty, like feeling dead.

Find your quiet center of life and write from that to the world.

You know I'm always ready to indulge your fantasies.

The same things are best both for individuals and for states, and these are the things which the legislator ought to implant in the minds of his citizens.

I am a Maoist sympathiser. I'm not a Maoist ideologue, because the communist movements in history have been just as destructive as capitalism.

I always buy the same things. I have about a million sweaters and a million jackets, so I'm sure I'll get some more of that.

Harder he works, the luckier he gets.

It's still fun to come to games, and it's still fun to be in the Seattle crowd.