Sydney Smith said this quote

The main question to a novel is -- did it amuse? were you surprised at dinner coming so soon? did you mistake eleven for ten? were you too late to dress? and did you sit up beyond the usual hour? If a novel produces these effects, it is good; if it does not -- story, language, love, scandal itself cannot save it. It is only meant to please; and it must do that or it does nothing.

~ Sydney Smith

No furniture is so charming as books.

~ Sydney Smith

The fact is that in order to do anything in this world worth doing, we must not stand shivering on the bank thinking of the cold and the danger, but jump in and scramble through as well as we can.

~ Sydney Smith

When you rise in the morning, form a resolution to make the day a happy one for a fellow creature.

~ Sydney Smith