[T]he more public provisions were made for the poor, the less they provided for themselves, and of course became poorer . . . [taking] away from before their eyes the greatest of all inducements to industry, frugality, and sobriety, by giving them a dependence of somewhat else than a careful accumulation during youth and health for support in age and sickness.

Don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today.

It is wonderful how preposterously the affairs of the world are managed. We assemble parliaments and councils to have the benefit of collected wisdom, but we necessarily have, at the same time, the inconvenience of their collected passions, prejudices and private interests: for regulating commerce an assembly of great men is the greatest fool on earth

If you want to be loved, love and be loveable.

Two passions have powerful influence on the affairs of men: the love of power and the love of money.

A life of leisure and a life of laziness are two things. There will be sleeping enough in the grave.

Lend money to an enemy, and thou will gain him, to a friend and thou will lose him.