The mark of extraordinary merit is to see those most envious of it constrained to praise.

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.

Flattery is a base coin which is current only through our vanity.

We are sometimes as different from ourselves as we are from others.

We make promises to the extent that we hope-and keep them to the extent that we fear.

We label judges with having the meanest motives, and yet we desire that our reputation and fame should depend upon the judgment of men, who are all, either from their jealousy or preoccupation or want of intelligence, opposed to us - and yet despite their bias, just for the sake of making these men decide in our favor, we peril in so many ways both our peace and our life.

There is such a thing as a general revolution which changes the taste of men as it changes the fortunes of the world.