Greater mischief happens often from folly, meanness, and vanity than from the greater sins of avarice and ambition.

Refined policy ever has been the parent of confusion, and ever will be so as long as the world endures. Plain good intention, which is as easily discovered at the first view as fraud is surely detected at last, is of no mean force in the government of mankind.

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.

Ambition can creep as well as soar.

No passion so effectually robs the mind of all its powers of acting and reasoning as fear.

In their nomination to office they will not appoint to the exercise of authority as to a pitiful job, but as to a holy function.

Government is a contrivance of human wisdom to provide for human wants.