Five thousand years have added no improvement to the hive of the bee, nor to the house of the beaver; but look at the habitations and the achievements of men!

If often happens too, both in courts and in cabinets, that there are two things going on together,--a main plot and an under-plot; and he that understands only one of them will, in all probability, be the dupe of both. A mistress may rule a monarch, but some obscure favorite may rule the mistress.

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

There are both dull correctness and piquant carelessness; it is needless to say which will command the most readers and have the most influence.

Genius, in one respect, is like gold; numbers of persons are constantly writing about both, who have neither.

The hate which we all bear with the most Christian patience is the hate of those who envy us.

As there are some faults that have been termed faults on the right side, so there are some errors that might be denominated errors on the safe side. Thus we seldom regret having been too mild, too cautious, or too humble; but we often repent having been too violent, too precipitate, or too proud.