Pain warns us not to exert our limbs to the point of breaking them. How much knowledge would we not need to recognize this by the exercise of mere reason.

Deliberate virtue is never worth much: The virtue of feeling or habit is the thing.

Man is a masterpiece of creation . . .

To be content with life or to live merrily, rather all that is required is that we bestow on all things only a fleeting, superficial glance; the more thoughtful we become the more earnest we grow.

We cannot remember too often that when we observe nature, and especially the ordering of nature, it is always ourselves alone we are observing.

Once we know our weaknesses they cease to do us any harm.

If all mankind were suddenly to practice honesty, many thousands of people would be sure to starve.