Men are guided less by conscience than by glory; and yet the shortest way to glory is to be guided by conscience.

Genius is allied to a warm and inflammable constitution; delicacy of taste, to calmness and sedateness. Hence it is common to find genius in one who is a prey to every passion.

Whoever appears to have much cunning has in reality very little; being deficient in the essential article, which is, to hide cunning.

Luxury possibly may contribute to give bread to the poor; but if there were no luxury, there would be no poor.

Emotions are raised in us, not only by the qualities and actions of others, but also by their feelings. I cannot behold a man in distress, without partaking of his pain; nor in joy, without partaking of his pleasure.

Such is the power of imagination, that even a chimerical pleasure in expectation affects us more than a solid pleasure in possession.

Ridicule, which chiefly arises from pride, a selfish passion, is but at best a gross pleasure, too rough an entertainment for those who are highly polished and refined.