He that composes himself is wiser than he that composes a book.

Man is a tool-making animal

Private property...is the creature of society and is subject to the calls of that society even to the last farthing.

Repeal that [welfare] law, and you will soon see a change in their manners. ... Six days shalt thou labor, though one of the old commandments long treated as out of date, will again be looked upon as a respectable precept; industry will increase, and with it plenty among the lower people; their circumstances will mend, and more will be done for their happiness by inuring them to provide for themselves, than could be done by dividing all your estates among them.

Never take a wife till thou hast a house (and a fire) to put her in.

Take the money in your wallet and invest it in your mind. And in return, your mind will fill up your wallet!

In reality, there is, perhaps, no one of our natural passions so hard to subdue as pride. Disguise it, struggle with it, beat it down, stifle it, mortify it as much as one pleases, it is still alive, and will every now and then peep out and show itself; you will see it, perhaps, often in this history; for, even if I could conceive that I had completely overcome it, I should probably be proud of my humility.