His reading suggested a man swimming in the sea among the wreckage of his ship, and trying to save his life by greedily clutching first at one spar and then at another.
To judge between good or bad, between successful and unsuccessful would take the eye of a God.
The wealthy are always surrounded by hangers-on; science and art are as well.
The more refined one is, the more unhappy.
Knowledge is of no value unless you put it into practice.
A good upbringing means not that you won't spill sauce on the tablecloth, but that you won't notice it when someone else does.