The person who grieves suffers his passion to grow upon him; he indulges it, he loves it; but this never happens in the case of actual pain, which no man ever willingly endured for any considerable time.

The introduction of Christianity, which, under whatever form, always confers such inestimable benefits on mankind, soon made a sensible change in these rude and fierce manners.

Law and arbitrary power are at eternal enmity.

True religion is the foundation of society. When that is once shaken by contempt, the whole fabric cannot be stable nor lasting.

By gnawing through a dike, even a rat may drown a nation.

It is for the most part in our skill in manners, and in the observations of time and place and of decency in general, that what is called taste by way of distinction consists; and which is in reality no other than a more refined judgment.

Falsehood is a perennial spring.