Who said “He was always smoothing and polishing himself, and in the end he became blunt before he…”?

“The place to improve the world is first in one's own heart and head and hands.”

“There's only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and that's your own self.”

“People never improve unless they look to some standard or example higher and better than themselves.”

“The way for a young man to rise, is to improve himself every way he can, never suspecting that any body wishes to hinder him.”

“Self-help books are making life downright unsafe. Women desperate to catch a man practice all the ploys recommended by these authors. Bump into him, trip over him, knock him down, spill something on him, scald him, but meet him.”

“Ideas too are a life and a world.”

“Virtue by premeditation isn't worth much.”

“First we have to believe, and then we believe.”

“Man is to be found in reason, God in the passions.”

“Erudition can produce foliage without bearing fruit.”

“Once we know our weaknesses they cease to do us any harm.”