Of Dickens' style it is impossible to speak in praise. It is jerky, ungrammatical, and created by himself in defiance of rules... No young novelist should ever dare to imitate the style of Dickens.

An author must be nothing if he do not love truth; a barrister must be nothing if he do.

When the ivy has found its tower, when the delicate creeper has found its strong wall, we know how the parasite plants grow and prosper.

Never think that you're not good enough yourself. A man should never think that. People will take you very much at your own reckoning.

Fame is a skittish jade, more fickle even than Fortune, and apt to shy, and bolt, and plunge away on very trifling causes.

What on earth could be more luxurious than a sofa, a book, and a cup of coffee?...Was ever anything so civil?

The habit of reading is the only one I know in which there is no alloy. It lasts when all other pleasures fade.

There is no way of writing well and also of writing easily.

It has now become the doctrine of a large clan of politicians that political honesty is unnecessary, slow, subversive of a man's interests, and incompatible with quick onward movement.

There is no royal road to learning; no short cut to the acquirement of any art.

Love is like any other luxury. You have no right to it unless you can afford it.

Love is the first wisdom in life.

However glorious an action in itself, it ought not to pass for great if it be not the effect of wisdom and intention.

God will not move unless I say it. Why? because He has made us coworkers with Him. He set things up that way.

Some people would say I've made it now.

There was a young fellow from Trinity, Who took the square root of infinity. But the number of digits, Gave him the fidgets; He dropped Math and took up Divinity.

Don't follow your dream - lead it!

When I was a kid, I wrote music - from the age of 11 until the age of 18.

You have to deal with the reality that in the political process, people are going to vote based on what they're hearing from their constituents and others.

Even now I can't describe why I love skating so much.

Whoever would be wise should read the Proverbs; whoever would be holy should read the Psalms.