A female friend, amiable, ...

A female friend, amiable, clever, and devoted, is a possession more valuable than parks and palaces; and without such a muse, few men can succeed in life, none be contented.
A female friend, amiable, clever, and devoted, is a possession more valuable than parks and palaces; and without such a muse, few men can succeed in life, none be contented.

Quotes from the same author

Never complain and never explain.
We make our own fortunes and we call them fate.
Action may not always bring happiness; but there is no happiness without action.
The secret of success is constancy to purpose.
One secret of success in life is for a man to be ready for his opportunity when it comes.