Write down the thoughts of the moment. Those that come unsought for are commonly the most valuable.

People prefer to believe what they want to be true.

Nature, to be commanded, must be obeyed.

Certainly the best works, and of greatest merit for the public, have proceeded from the unmarried, or childless men.

He that seeketh to be eminent amongst able men hath a great task; but that is ever good for the public. But he that plots to be the only figure amongst ciphers is the decay of a whole age.

The errors of young men are the ruin of business, but the errors of aged men amount to this, that more might have been done, or sooner.

Take an arrow, and hold it in flame for the space of ten pulses, and when it cometh forth you shall find those parts of the arrow which were on the outsides of the flame more burned, blacked, and turned almost to coal, whereas the midst of the flame will be as if the fire had scarce touched it. This is an instance of great consequence for the discovery of the nature of flame; and sheweth manifestly, that flame burneth more violently towards the sides than in the midst.