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It is by imitation, far more than by precept, that we learn everything; and what we learn thus, we acquire not only more efficiently, but more pleasantly. This forms our manners, our opinions, our lives.

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I hardly know so true a mark of a little mind as the servile imitation of others.

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It is a poor wit who lives by borrowing the words, decisions, inventions and actions of others.

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Imitation causes us to leave natural ways to enter into artificial ones; it therefore makes slaves.

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Whoever is out of patience is out of possession of his soul. Men must not turn into bees, and kill themselves in stinging others.

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There are two main human sins from which all the others derive: impatience and indolence. It was because of impatience that they were expelled from Paradise, it is because of indolence that they do not return. Yet perhaps there is only one major sin: impatience. Because of impatience they were expelled, because of impatience they do not return.

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It is only imperfection that complains of what is imperfect. The more perfect we are, the more gentle and quiet we become toward the defects of others.

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It is not a lucky word, this name "impossible"; no good comes of those who have it so often in their mouths.

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Impossible is a word only to be found in the dictionary of fools.

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Judge of thine improvement, not by what thou speakest or writest, but by the firmness of thy mind, and the government of thy passions and affections.

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