The wise man must remember that while he is a descendant of the past, he is a parent of the future.

The greatest of all infidelities is the fear that the truth will be bad.

It must be admitted that the conception of virtue cannot be separated from the conception of happiness-producing conduct.

Music ministers to human welfare more than any other art.

During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.

Even the absurdest report may in nearly every instance be traced to an actual occurrence; and had there been no such actual occurrence, this preposterous misrepresentation of it would never have existed. Though the distorted or magnified image transmitted to us through the refracting medium of rumour, is utterly unlike the reality; yet in the absence of the reality there would have been no distorted or magnified image.

There is a story of some mountains of salt in Cumana, which never diminished, though carried away in much abundance by merchants; but when once they were monopolized to the benefit of a private purse, then the salt decreased; till afterward all were allowed to take of it, when it had a new access and increase. The truth of this story may be uncertain, but the application is true; he that envies others the use of his gifts decays then, but he thrives most that is most diffusive.