Gross and vulgar minds will always pay a higher respect to wealth than to talent; for wealth, although it be a far less efficient source of power than talent, happens to be far more intelligible.

Never join with your friend when he abuses his horse or his wife, unless the one is about to be sold, the other to be buried.

It is better to have wisdom without learning than learning without wisdom.

How small a portion of our life it is that we really enjoy! In youth we are looking forward to things that are to come; in old age we are looking backward to things that are gone past; in manhood, although we appear indeed to be more occupied in things that are present, yet even that is too often absorbed in vague determinations to be vastly happy on some future day when we have time.

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

He that knows himself, knows others; and he that is ignorant of himself, could not write a very profound lecture on other men's heads.

None are so seldom found alone, and are so soon tired of their own company, as those coxcombs who are on the best terms with themselves.