General benevolence, but not general friendship, made a man what he ought to be.

Teach us almighty father, to consider this solemn truth, as we should do, that we may feel the importance of every day, and every hour as it passes.

It would be difficult to say which had seen highest perfection in the other, or which had been the happiest: she, in receiving his declarations and proposals, or he in having them accepted.

I have often observed that resignation is never so perfect as when the blessing denied begins to lose somewhat of its value in our eyes.

Then it would not be so strong a sense. If it failed to produce equal exertion, it could not be an equal conviction.

but for my own part, if a book is well written, I always find it too short.

There will be little rubs and disappointments everywhere, and we are all apt to expect too much; but then, if one scheme of happiness fails, human nature turns to another; if the first calculation is wrong, we make a second better: we find comfort somewhere.