In short, no association or alliance can be happy or stable without me. People can't long tolerate a ruler, nor can a master his servant, a maid her mistress, a teacher his pupil, a friend his friend nor a wife her husband, a landlord his tenant, a soldier his comrade nor a party-goer his companion, unless they sometimes have illusions about each other, make use of flattery, and have the sense to turn a blind eye and sweeten life for themselves with the honey of folly.

Everyone knows that by far the happiest and universally enjoyable age of man is the first. What is there about babies which makes us hug and kiss and fondle them, so that even an enemy would give them help at that age?

Do not be guilty of possessing a library of learned books while lacking learning yourself.

War is sweet to those who haven't tasted it. Dulce bellum inexpertis.

'Tis an easier matter to raise the devil than to lay him.

Only a very few can be learned, but all can be Christian, all can be devout, and – I shall boldly add – all can be theologians.

God has administered to us of the present age, a bitter draught and a harsh physician, on account of our abounding infirmities.