To philosopher and historian the madness and imbecile wickedness of mankind ought to appear ordinary events.

Reading and sauntering and lounging and dosing, which I call thinking, is my supreme Happiness.

The consequence of a very free commerce between the sexes, and of their living much together, will often terminate in intrigues and gallantry.

Human Nature is the only science of man; and yet has been hitherto the most neglected.

Even after the observation of the frequent conjunction of objects, we have no reason to draw any inference concerning any object beyond those of which we have had experience.

There has been a controversy started of late, much better worth examination, concerning the general foundation of Morals; whether they be derived from Reason, or from Sentiment; whether we attain the knowledge of them by a chain of argument and induction, or by an immediate feeling and finer internal sense; whether, like all sound judgement of truth and falsehood, they should be the same to every rational intelligent being; or whether, like the perception of beauty and deformity, they be founded entirely on the particular fabric and constitution of the human species.

There is only one vice, which may be found in life with as strong features, and as high a colouring as needs be employed by any satyrist or comic poet; and that is AVARICE.