If you, do what you should not, you must bear what you would not.

He that won't be counseled can't be helped. He that would have a short Lent, let him borrow Money to be repaid at Easter.

Evil, as evil, can never be chosen; and though evil is often the effect of our own choice, yet we never desire it but under the appearance of an imaginary good.

This gave me occasion to observe, that when Men are employ'd they are best contented. For on the Days they work'd they were good-natur'd and chearful; and with the consciousness of having done a good Days work they spent the Evenings jollily; but on the idle Days they were mutinous and quarrelsome, finding fault with their Pork, the Bread, and in continual ill-humour. (Autobiography, 1771)

I am for doing good to the poor, but I differ in opinion about the means. I think the best way of doing good to the poor is not making them easy in poverty, but leading or driving them out of it.

One of the greatest tragedies of life is the murder of a beautiful theory by a gang of brutal facts.

He that steals the old man's supper does him no wrong.