We often repent of our first thoughts, and scarce ever of our second.

In science, mistakes always precede the truth

I look upon paradoxes as the impotent efforts of men who, not having capacity to draw attention and celebrity from good sense, fly to eccentricities to make themselves noted.

I firmly believe, notwithstanding all our complaints, that almost every person upon earth tastes upon the totality more happiness than misery.

By deafness one gains in one respect more than one loses; one misses more nonsense than sense.

Virtue knows to a farthing what it has lost by not having been vice.

When Shakespeare copied chroniclers verbatim, it was because he knew they were good enough for his audiences. In a more polished age he who could so move our passions, could surely have performed the easier task of satisfying our taste.