Words, once they are printed, have a life of their own.

To know a man, observe how he wins his object, rather than how he loses it; for when we fail our pride supports us; when we succeed, it betrays us.

—Charles Caleb Colton

The greatest friend of Truth is time, her greatest enemy is Prejudice, and her constant companion Humility.

—Charles Caleb Colton

There are two modes of establishing our reputation: to be praised by honest men, and to be abused by rogues. It is best, however, to secure the former, because it will invariably be accompanied by the latter.

—Charles Caleb Colton

To know the pains of power, we must go to those who have it; to know its pleasures, we must go to those who are seeking it.

—Charles Caleb Colton

Riches may enable us to confer favours, but to confer them with propriety and grace requires a something that riches cannot give.

—Charles Caleb Colton

Don't use words too big for the subject. Don't say 'infinitely' when you mean 'very'; otherwise you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite.

—C. S. Lewis

I have made this [letter] longer, because I have not had the time to make it shorter.

—Bobby Knight

Not every story has explosions and car chases. That's why they have nudity and espionage.

—Blaise Pascal

If the weak hand, that has recorded this tale, has, by its scenes, beguiled the mourner of one hour of sorrow, or, by its moral, taught him to sustain it—the effort, however humble, has not been vain, nor is the writer unrewarded.

—Ann Radcliffe