Ignorance lies at the bottom of all human knowledge, and the deeper we penetrate, the nearer we arrive unto it.

The Grecian’s maxim would indeed be a sweeping clause in Literature; it would reduce many a giant to a pygmy; many a speech to a sentence; and many a folio to a primer.

Friendship, of itself a holy tie, is made more sacred by adversity.

Moderation is the inseparable companion of wisdom, but with it genius has not even a nodding acquaintance.

There are many women who have never intrigued, and many men who have never gamed; but those who have done either but once are very extraordinary animals.

A man's profundity may keep him from opening on a first interview, and his caution on a second; but I should suspect his emptiness, if he carried on his reserve to a third.

Most of our misfortunes are more supportable than the comments of our friends upon them.