To be a husbandman, is but a retreat from the city; to be a philosopher, from the world; or rather, a retreat from the world, as it is man's, into the world, as it is God's.

There is some help for all the defects of fortune; for, if a man cannot attain to the length of his wishes, he may have his remedy by cutting of them shorter.

Solitude can be used well by very few people. They who do must have a knowledge of the world to see the foolishness of it, and enough virtue to despise all the vanity.

Beauty, thou wild fantastic ape Who dost in every country change thy shape!

Unbind the charms that in slight fables lie and teach that truth is truest poesy.

Vain, weak-built isthmus, which dost proudly rise Up between two eternities!

Hope is the most hopeless thing of all.