"I have a peculiar aversion to controversies, which often generate more heat than light."

"I could not find in all the shops in London a glass bubble strong enough to resist the pressure of the air when exhausted."

"I have seen a piece of glowing wood continue to shine in a vacuum, proving that not all light requires air."

"I have always been a devotee of experimental philosophy."

"I have often been surprised to find how little care men take to preserve their health, and how much they neglect their souls."