The fly ought to be used as the symbol of impertinence and audacity; for whilst all other animals shun man more than anything else, and run away even before he comes near them, the fly lights upon his very nose.

It is only in the microscope that our life looks so big. It is an indivisible point, drawn out and magnified by the powerful lenses of Time and Space.

Life is a task to be done. It is a fine thing to say defunctus est; it means that the man has done his task.

The scenes of our life are like pictures done in rough mosaic. Looked at close, they produce no effect. There is nothing beautiful to be found in them, unless you stand some distance off.

It is a curious fact that in bad days we can very vividly recall the good time that is now no more; but that in good days we have only a very cold and imperfect memory of the bad.

In their hearts women think that it is men's business to earn money and theirs to spend it.

With people of only moderate ability modesty is a mere honesty; but with those who possess great talent it is hypocrisy.

Every parting gives a foretaste of death; every coming together again a foretaste of the resurrection.

Every man takes the limits of his own field of vision for the limits of the world.

Reason deserves to be called a prophet; for in showing us the consequence and effect of our actions in the present, does it not tell us what the future will be?