The man who is wantonly profuse of his promises ought to sink his credit as much as a tradesman would by uttering a great number of promissory notes payable at a distant day. The truest conclusion in both cases is, that neither intend or will be able to pay. And as the latter most probably intends to cheat you of your money, so the former at least designs to cheat you of your thanks.

It is a good maxim to trust a person entirely or not at all.

A grave aspect to a grave character is of much more consequence than the world is generally aware of; a barber may make you laugh, but a surgeon ought rather to make you cry.

The greatest part of mankind labor under one delirium or another; and Don Quixote differed from the rest, not in madness, but the species of it. The covetous, the prodigal, the superstitious, the libertine, and the coffee-house politician, are all Quixotes in their several ways.

Good writers will, indeed, do well to imitate the ingenious traveller. . .who always proportions his stay in any place.

The hounds all join in glorious cry, / The huntsman winds his horn: / And a-hunting we will go.

Gravity is the best cloak for sin in all countries.