We should choose our books as we would our companions, for their sterling and intrinsic merit.

The man of pleasure, by a vain attempt to be more happy than any man can be, is often more miserable than most men are.

Religion has treated knowledge sometimes as an enemy, sometimes as a hostage; often as a captive and more often as a child; but knowledge has become of age, and religion must either renounce her acquaintance, or introduce her as a companion and respect her as a friend.

Those that know the least of others think the highest of themselves.

There are some frauds so well conducted that it would be stupidity not to be deceived by them.

Precisely in proportion to our own intellectual weakness will be our credulity as to those mysterious powers assumed by others.

It was served of the Jesuits, that they constantly inculcated a thorough contempt of worldly things in their doctrines, but eagerly grasped at them in their lives. They were wise in their generation; for they cried down worldly things because they wanted to obtain them, and cried up spiritual things, because they wanted to dispose of them.