The greatest slave in a kingdom is generally the king of it.

It is so much in the nature of men to overreach and deceive one another, that their very sports and plays are founded on that principle.

Every character is in some respects uniform, and in others inconsistent; and it is only by the study both of the uniformity and inconsistency, and a comparison of them with each other, that the knowledge of man is acquired.

We are oftener deceived by being told some truth than no truth.

How seldom is generosity perfect and pure! How often do men give because it throws a certain inferiority on those who receive, and superiority on themselves!

Pleasure is the business of the young, business the pleasure of the old.

We are not slow at discovering the selfishness of others; for this plain reason--because it clashes with our own.