It is incumbent on us diligently to remember that the kingdom of heaven was promised to the poor in spirit, and that minds afflicted by calamity and the contempt of mankind cheerfully listen to the divine promise of future happiness; while, on the contrary, the fortunate are satisfied with the possession of this world; and the wise abuse in doubt and dispute their vain superiority of reason and knowledge.

There exists in human nature a strong propensity to depreciate the advantages, and to magnify the evils, of the present times.

[The] vain and transitory scenes of human greatness are unworthy of a serious thought.

If we are more affected by the ruin of a palace than by the conflagration of a cottage, our humanity must have formed a very erroneous estimate of the miseries of human life.

Feeble and timid minds . . . consider the use of dilatory and ambiguous measures as the most admirable efforts of consummate prudence.

Their poverty secured their freedom, since our desires and our possessions are the strongest fetters of despotism.

Revenge is profitable, gratitude is expensive.