Greek is a musical and prolific language, that gives a soul to the objects of sense, and a body to the abstractions of philosophy.

[The Goths'] poverty was incurable; since the most liberal donatives were soon dissipated in wasteful luxury, and the most fertile estates became barren in their hands.

[The] liberty of divorce does not contribute to happiness and virtue. The facility of separation would destroy all mutual confidence, and inflame every trifling dispute . . .

Of human life, the most glorious or humble prospects are alike and soon bounded by the sepulchre.

The love of liberty was the ruling passion of these Germans; the enjoyment of it, their best treasure; the word that expressed that enjoyment the most pleasing to their ear. They deserved, they assumed, they maintained the honourable epithet of Franks or Freemen; which concealed, though it did not extinguish, the peculiar names of the several states of the confederacy.

History is indeed little more than the register of the crimes, follies, and misfortunes of mankind.

[Arabs are] a people, whom it is dangerous to provoke, and fruitless to attack.