If aught can teach us aught, Affliction's looks, Making us pry into ourselves so, near, Teach us to know ourselves, beyond all books, Or all the learned schools that ever were.

Zeal without knowledge is the sister of folly.

Much like a subtle spider which doth sit In middle of her web, which spreadeth wide; If aught do touch the utmost thread of it, She feels it instantly on every side.

We may conceive an hope that the next generation will in tongue and heart and every way else become English; so as there will be no difference or distinction but the Irish sea betwixt us.

This is the slowest, yet the daintiest sense; For ev'n the ears of such as have no skill, Perceive a discord, and conceive offence; And knowing not what's good, yet find the ill.

What more than madness reigns, when one short sitting many hundreds drains.

Deeds are males, words females are.

For what made that in glory shine so long But poets' Pens, pluckt from Archangels' wings?

Hence it is that old men do plant young trees, the fruit whereof another age shall take.

Thou art true and honest as a dog.

I know my soul hath power to know all things, Yet is she blind and ignorant in all: I know I'm one of Nature's little kings, Yet to the least and vilest things am thrall.

In the distant golden sunset sky, a magnificent rainbow is opening wings to fly.

If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.

I would favor a law that no one could ever buy a gun.

I'm sorry.' The two most inadequate words in the English language.

Maybe I'm too young to keep good love from going wrong, but tonight you're on my mind, so you never know.

There swift return Diurnal, merely to officiate light Round this opacous earth, this punctual spot.

The strongest human instinct is to impart information, the second strongest is to resist it.

Every young sculptor seems to think that he must give the world some specimen of indecorous womanhood, and call it Eve, Venus, a Nymph, or any name that may apologize for a lack of decent clothing.

The intellectual tradition is one of servility to power, and if I didn't betray it I'd be ashamed of myself.

I really wasn't equipped to be a writer when I left Oxford. But then I set out to learn. I've always had the highest regard for the craft. I've always felt it was work.