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.

Nothing is more durable than the dynasty of Doubt; for he reigns in the hearts of all his people, but gives satisfaction to none of them, and yet he is the only despot who can never die, while any of his subjects live.

Avarice begets more vices than Priam did children and like Priam survives them all. It starves its keeper to surfeit those who wish him dead, and makes him submit to more mortifications to lose heaven than the martyr undergoes to gain it.

There are three kinds of praise, that which we yield, that which we lend, and that which we pay. We yield it to the powerful from fear, we lend it to the weak from interest, and we pay it to the deserving from gratitude.

It is not every man that can afford to wear a shabby coat.

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

Is there anything more tedious than the often repeated tales of the old and forgetful?