Contemporaries appreciate the man rather than his merit; posterity will regard the merit rather than the man.

Contemporaries appreciate the man rather than his merit; posterity will regard the merit rather than the man.

Reputation is an idle and most false imposition; oft got without merit, and lost without deserving.

Reputation is an idle and most false imposition; oft got without merit, and lost without deserving.

When I was young I observed that nine out of every ten things I did were failures, so I did read more

When I was young I observed that nine out of every ten things I did were failures, so I did ten times more work.

Merit is much more cheaply acknowledged than rewarded

Merit is much more cheaply acknowledged than rewarded

Every noble work is at first impossible.

Every noble work is at first impossible.

The expectations of life depend upon diligence; the mechanic that would perfect his work must first sharpen his tools.

The expectations of life depend upon diligence; the mechanic that would perfect his work must first sharpen his tools.

The favor of princes does not preclude the existence of merit,
and yet does not prove that it exists.
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The favor of princes does not preclude the existence of merit,
and yet does not prove that it exists.
[Fr., La faveur des princes n'exclut pas le merite, et ne le
suppose pas aussi.]

The secret of success is constancy of purpose.

The secret of success is constancy of purpose.

Surely, sir,
There's in him stuff that puts him to these ends;
For, being not propped by read more

Surely, sir,
There's in him stuff that puts him to these ends;
For, being not propped by ancestry, whose grace
Chalks successors their way, nor called upon
For high feats done to th' crown, neither allied
To eminent assistants, but spiderlike
Out of his self-drawing web, 'a gives us note,
The force of his own merit makes his way,
A gift that heaven gives for him, which buys
A place next to the king.