Our manners, our civilization, and all the good things connected with manners and civilization, have, in this European world of ours, depended for ages upon two principles: I mean the spirit of a gentleman, and the spirit of religion.

I despair of ever receiving the same degree of pleasure from the most exalted performances of genius which I felt in childhood from pieces which my present judgment regards as trifling and contemptible.

Fiction lags after truth, invention is unfruitful, and imagination cold and barren.

Depend upon it that the lovers of freedom will be free.

To execute laws is a royal office; to execute orders is not to be a king. However, a political executive magistracy, though merely such, is a great trust.

There never was a bad man that had ability for good service.

A jealous lover lights his torch from the firebrand of the fiend.