To a zealot every one of his own sect is a saint, while the most upright of a different sect are to him children of perdition.

Nothing so uncertain as general reputation. A man injures me from humor, passion, or interest; hates me because he has injured me; and speaks ill of me because he hates me.

A relation is formed betwixt every man and the fruits of his own labour, the very thing we call property, which he himself is sensible of, and of which every other is equally sensible. Yours and mine are terms in all languages, familiar among savages, and understood even by children. This is a fact, which every human creature can testify.

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

Violent passions are formed in solitude. In the busy world no object has time to make a deep impression.

When you descant on the faults of others, consider whether you be not guilty of the same. To gain knowledge of ourselves, the best way is to convert the imperfections of others into a mirror for discovering our own.

Logic is the art of thinking well: the mind, like the body, requires to be trained before it can use its powers in the most advantageous way.