“My nights are flatulent and unquiet.”

“Justice is my being allowed to do whatever I like. Injustice is whatever prevents my doing so.”

“Sir, I did not count your glasses of wine, why should you number up my cups of tea?”

“It is all work, and my inducement to it is not love or desire of fame, but the want of money, which is the only motive to writing that I know of.”

“My congratulations to you, sir. Your manuscript is both good and original; but the part that is good is not original, and the part that is original is not good. ”

“My dear friend, clear your mind of cant [excessive thought]. You may talk as other people do: you may say to a man, "Sir, I am your most humble servant." You are not his most humble servant. You may say, "These are bad times; it is a melancholy thing to be reserved to such times." You don't mind the times ... You may talk in this manner; it is a mode of talking in Society; but don't think foolishly.”

“I had done all that I could, and no Man is well pleased to have his all neglected, be it ever so little.”