National antipathy is the basest, because the most illiberal and illiterate of all prejudices.

Magnanimity is above circumstance; and any virtue which depends on that is more of constitution than of principle.

Any base heart can devise means of vileness, and affix the ugly shapings of its own fancy to the actions of those around him; but it requires loftiness of mind, and the heaven-born spirit of virtue, to imagine greatness where it is not, and to deck the sordid objects of nature in the beautiful robes of loveliness and light.

we never know the blessings bestowed on us until we are separated from the possession of them.

A generous spirit is as eloquent in acknowledging benefits as it is bounteous in bestowing them.

But the most annoying of all public reformers is the personal satirist. Though he may be considered by some few as a useful member of society, yet he is only ranked with the hangman, whom we tolerate because he executes the judgment we abhor to do ourselves, and avoid with a natural detestation of his office. The pen of the one and the cord of the other are inseparable in our minds.

There is nothing so clear-sighted and sensible as a noble mind in a low estate.