[W]e are not so much concerned this evening with the dead letter of edicts and of statutes as with the living thoughts of men.

We are much beholden to Machiavelli and others, that write what men do, and not what they ought to do.

But if judicious men skilled in Chymical affairs shall once agree to write clearly and plainly of them, and thereby keep men from being stunn'd... or imposed upon by dark and empty Words; 'tis to be hop'd that these men finding that they can no longer write impertinently and absurdly, without being laugh'd at for doing so, will be reduc'd either to write nothing, or Books that may teach us something, and not rob men, as formerly, of invaluable Time; and so ceasing to trouble the world with Riddles or Impertinencies, we shall either by their Books receive an Advantage, or by their silence escape an Inconvenience.

We are much beholden to Machiavel and others, that write what men do, and not what they ought to do.

When the time of judgement comes, we shall not be asked what we have read but what we have done.

One must not always think so much about what one should do, but rather what one should be. Our works do not ennoble us; but we must ennoble our works.

Some judge of authors' names, not works, and then nor praise nor blame the writings, but the men.

But not only white people should write about whites, or only men about men, or Navajos about the Navajo, or any human subjects only about themselves and their experiences of the world.

Small, therefore, can we think the progress we have made, as long as our admiration for those who have done noble things is barren, and does not of itself incite us to imitate them.

Men looke not at the greatnesse of the evill past, but the greatnesse of the good to follow.

I always think it helps not to think about anyone reading your work, but to write what you would want to read.

No single one can possess greater wisdom than the many scholars who are elected by all the men for their wisdom. Yet we can. We do. We have fought against saying it, but now it is said. We do not care. We forget all men, all laws and all things save our metals and our wires. So much is still to be learned! So long a road lies before us, and what care we if we must travel it alone!

Let the world admire the supposed wisdom and valor of our great men. Perhaps they may adopt the qualities that have been ascribed to them, and thus good may be done. I shall not undeceive future generations.

At the Day of Judgement we shall not be asked what we have read but what we have done; not how well we have spoken, but how holily we have lived.