We are never in search of things, but always in search of the search.

When some passion or effect is described in a natural style, we find within ourselves the truth of what we hear, without knowing it was there.

Civil wars are the greatest of evils. They are inevitable, if we wish to reward merit, for all will say that they are meritorious.

If we dreamed the same thing every night, it would affect us much as the objects we see every day. And if a common workman were sure to dream every night for twelve hours that he was a king, I believe he would be almost as happy as a king who should dream every night for twelve hours on end that he was a common workman.

What use is it to us to hear it said of a man that he has thrown off the yoke that he does not believe there is a God to watch over his actions, that he reckons himself the sole master of his behavior, and that he does not intend to give an account of it to anyone but himself?

All the good maxims which are in the world fail when applied to one's self.

We never live, but we hope to live; and as we are always arranging to be happy, it must be that we never are so.