Shining outward qualities, although they may excite first-rate expectations, are not unusually found to be the companions of second-rate abilities.

Too high an appreciation of our own talents is the chief cause why experience preaches to us all in vain.

Make the most of the day, by determining to spend it on two sorts of acquaintances only--those by whom something may be got, and those from whom something may be learned.

I have somewhere seen it observed that we should make the same use of a book that the bee does of a flower: she steals sweets from it, but does not injure it.

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.

Persecuting bigots may be compared to those burning lenses which Lenhenboeck and others composed from ice; by their chilling apathy they freeze the suppliant; by their fiery zeal they burn the sufferer.

The firmest of friendships have been formed in mutual adversity, as iron is most strongly united by the fiercest flame.