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.

Self-love leads men of narrow minds to measure all mankind by their own capacity.

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

Virtue is despotic; life, reputation, every earthly good, must be surrendered at her voice. The law may seem hard, but it is the guardian of what it commands; and is the only sure defence of happiness.

Bright was the summer of 1296. The war which had desolated Scotland was then at an end.

In his fairy dreams of war [Thaddeus] always made conquest the sure end of his battles.

Where there is any good disposition, confidence begets faithfulness; but distrust, if it do not produce treachery; never fails to destroy every inclination to evince fidelity. Most people disdain to clear themselves from the accusations of mere suspicion.