Some men are very entertaining for a first interview, but after that they are exhausted, and run out; on a second meeting we shall find them flat and monotonous; like hand-organs, we have heard all their tunes.

Criticism is like champagne, nothing more execrable if bad, nothing more excellent if good.

True contentment depends not upon what we have; a tub was large enough for Diogenes, but a world was too little for Alexander.

Self-love, in a well-regulated breast, is as the steward of the household, superintending the expenditure, and seeing that benevolence herself should be prudential, in order to be permanent, by providing that the reservoir which feeds should also be fed.

That profound firmness which enabler a man to regard difficulties but as evils to be surmounted, no matter what shape they may assume.

When certain persons abuse us, let us ask ourselves what description of characters it is that they admire; we shall often find this a very consolatory question.

There are two principles of established acceptance in morals; first, that self-interest is the mainspring of all of our actions, and secondly, that utility is the test of their value.