“Certainly," quoth Athelstane, "women are the least to be trusted of all animals, monks and abbots excepted.”

“In the name of God!" said Gurth, "how came they prisoners? and to whom?""Our master was too ready to fight," said the Jester, "and Athelstane was not ready enough, and no other person was ready at all.”

“Of all the train, none escaped except Wamba, who showed upon the occasion much more courage than those who pretended to greater sense.”

“The abstract idea of a spirit certainly implies that it has neither substance, form, shape, voice, or anything which can render its presence visible or sensible to human faculties.”

“When I reflect with what slow and limited supplies the stream of science hath hitherto descended to us, how difficult to be obtained by those most ardent in its search, how certain to be neglected by all who regard their ease; how liable to be diverted, altogether dried up, by the invasions of barbarism; can I look forward without wonder and astonishment to the lot of a succeeding generation on whom knowledge will descend like the first and second rain, uninterrupted, unabated, unbounded; fertilizing some grounds, and overflowing others; changing the whole form of social life; establishing and overthrowing religions; erecting and destroying kingdoms.”

“Trade has all the fascination of gambling without its moral guilt.”

“...crystal and hearts would lose all their merit in the world if it were not for their fragility.”