When we seek reconciliation with our enemies, it is commonly out of a desire to better our own condition, a being harassed and tired out with a state of war, and a fear of some ill accident which we are willing to prevent.

Idleness and fear keeps us in the path of duty, but our virtue often gets the praise.

If vanity does not entirely overthrow the virtues, at least it makes them all totter.

That man, we may be sure, is a person of true worth, whom those who envy him most are yet forced to praise.

Death and the sun are not to be looked at steadily.

It is more often from pride than from ignorance that we are so obstinately opposed to current opinions; we find the first places taken, and we do not want to be the last.

No men are oftener wrong than those that can least bear to be so.