“Great minds, like eagles, build their nests in some lofty solitude.”

Linking intellectual independence with productive solitude · Prose writing

• Art
• Solitude

“The pen is mightier than the sword.”

Affirming the power of writing and ideas over physical force · Play, Richelieu

• Art
• War

“The true spirit of conversation consists more in bringing out the cleverness of others than in showing a great deal of it yourself.”

Presenting conversation as an art of attention and generosity · Prose writing

• Friendship
• Truth