Repose without stagnation is the state most favorable to happiness. "The great felicity of life," says Seneca, "is to be without perturbations.

Out of politics comes more uproar than progress. It is indeed surprising how little, comparatively, this noisy department of human affairs contributes to the world's prosperity. Political commotions upon the grandest scale, political events of astounding suddenness, political characters of the greatest ability, abound, but still, permanent results are rare, and we look in vain for a measure of public good corresponding in extent to the hideous rout which ushers it in. Progress but turns upon its pillow, and goes to sleep again.

Discretion is the salt, and fancy the sugar of life; the one preserves, the other sweetens it.

As threshing separates the wheat from the chaff, so does affliction purify virtue.

A sound discretion is not so much indicated by never making a mistake as by never repeating it.

The cure for tender sensibilities is to make more of our objects and less of our selves.

Genuine religion is matter of feeling rather than matter of opinion.