You cannot afford to do a poor job, to let botched work or anything that is inferior go out of your hands.

Every bit of your work, no matter how unimportant or trivial it may seem, should bear your trade-mark of excellence; you should regard every task that goes through your hands, every piece of work you touch, as Tampion regarded every watch that went out of his shop.

It must be the very best you can do, the best that human skill can produce.
It is just the little difference between the good and the best that makes the difference between the artist and the artisan.

It is just the little touches after the average man would quit that make the master's fame.
Regard your work as Stradivarius regarded his violins, which he "made for eternity," and not one of which was ever known to come to pieces or break.

Stradivarius did not need any patent on his violins, for no other violin maker would pay such a price for excellence as he paid; would take such pains to put his stamp of superiority upon his instrument.