Charles Caleb Colton

There are three difficulties in authorship: to write anything worth publishing, to find honest men to publish it, and to find sensible men to read it. ”

Our admiration of fine writing will always be in proportion to its real difficulty and its apparent ease. ”

The drafts which true genius draws upon posterity, although they may not always be honored so soon as they are due, are sure to be paid with compound interest in the end. ”

To write what is worth publishing, to find honest people to publish it, and get sensible people to read it, are the three great difficulties in being an author. ”

There are two way of establishing a reputation, one to be praised by honest people and the other to be accused by rogues. It is best, however, to secure the first one, because it will always be accompanied by the latter. ”

We often pretend to fear what we really despise, and more often despise what we really fear. ”

Contemporaries appreciate the person rather than their merit, posterity will regard the merit rather than the person. ”

Posthumous charities are the very essence of selfishness when bequeathed by those who, even alive, would part with nothing. ”

Many speak the truth when they say that they despise riches, but they mean the riches possessed by others. ”

If you cannot inspire a woman with love of you, fill her above the brim with love of herself; all that runs over will be yours. ”