Of course America had often been discovered before Columbus, but it had always been hushed up.

America has been discovered before, but it has always been hushed up

What odd chaps you painters are! You do anything in the world to gain a reputation. As soon as you have one, you seem to want to throw it away. It is silly of you, for there is only one thing in the world worse than begin talked about, and that is not being talked about. A portrait like this would set you far above all the young men in England, and make the old men jealous, if old men are ever capable of any emotion.

I must say... that I ruined myself: and that nobody, great or small, can be ruined except by his own hand.

America has never quite forgiven Europe for having been discovered somewhat earlier in history than itself.

Nowadays most people die of a sort of creeping common sense, and discover when it is too late that the only things one never regrets are one's mistakes