Edward Bulwer-Lytton

The best teacher is the one who suggests rather than dogmatizes, and inspires his listener with the wish to teach himself.

One of the sublimest things in the world is plain truth.

He who esteems trifles for themselves is a trifler; he who esteems them for the conclusions to be drawn from them, or the advantage to which they can be put, is a philosopher.

"Know thyself," said the old philosopher, "improve thyself," saith the new. Our great object in time is not to waste our passions and gifts on the things external that we must leave behind, but that we cultivate within us all that we can carry into the eternal progress beyond.

Art and science have their meeting point in method.

A life of pleasure makes even the strongest mind frivolous at last.

Every man who observes vigilantly, and resolves steadfastly, grows unconsciously into genius.

Destiny is but a phrase of the weak human heart - the dark apology for every error. The strong and virtuous admit no destiny. On earth conscience guides; in heaven God watches. And destiny is but the phantom we invoke to silence the one and dethrone the other.

When people have no other tyrant, their own public opinion becomes one.

It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents--except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which swept up the streets (for it is in London that our scene lies), rattling along the housetops, and fiercely agitating the scanty flame of the lamps that struggled against the darkness.