可造就非凡之人的三大要素。它们是上天慷慨赐予的精选礼物：天赋异禀、智慧超凡、品味高雅。想得好当然好，想得对则更好——这才算理解了什么是好。固执的判断是不行的，只会导致麻烦多于用处。正确的思考是明智心性的果实。人在20岁时依随意愿，30岁时凭其智慧，40岁时凭其判断。有些人的头脑像山猫的眼睛一样，可在黑暗中发光，在最黑暗的地方则最明白。还有的人则更善于随机应变，处理紧急情况时，总是能抓住要害——这种素质带来丰富而优质的东西，是一种丰饶的福气。同时，高雅的品味还可以给整个人生增添趣味。
three things go to a prodigy. they are the choicest gifts of heaven's prodigality－a fertile genius, a profound intellect, a pleasant and refined taste. to think well is good, to think right is better: it is the understanding of the good. it will not do for the judgment to reside in the backbone: it would be of more trouble than use. to think right is the fruit of a reasonable nature. at twenty the will rules; at thirty the intellect; at forty the judgment. there are minds that shine in the dark like the eyes of the lynx, and are most clear where there is most darkness. others are more adapted for the occasion－they always hit on that which suits the emergency: such a quality produces much and good－a sort of fecund felicity. in the meantime good taste seasons the whole of life.
