It is a mortifying truth, and ought to teach the wisest of us humility, that many of the most valuable discoveries have been the result of chance rather than of contemplation, and of accident rather than of design.

There is more jealousy between rival wits than rival beauties, for vanity has no sex. But in both cases there must be pretensions, or there will be no jealousy.

Some reputed saints that have been canonized ought to have been cannonaded.

Wealth is a relative thing since those who have little and want less are richer than those who have much but want more.

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

Pain may be said to follow pleasure as its shadow; but the misfortune is that in this particular case, the substance belongs to the shadow, the emptiness to its cause.

He that can please nobody is not so much to be pitied as he that nobody can please.