The punishment of a criminal is an example to the rabble; but every decent man is concerned if an innocent person is condemned.

What is certain in death is somewhat softened by what is uncertain; it is an indefiniteness in the time, which holds a certain relation to the infinite, and what is called eternity.

Some young people do not sufficiently understand the advantages of natural charms, and how much they would gain by trusting to them entirely. They weaken these gifts of heaven, so rare and fragile, by affected manners and an awkward imitation. Their tones and their gait are borrowed; they study their attitudes before the glass until they have lost all trace of natural manner, and, with all their pains, they please but little.

It is easier to enrich ourselves with a thousand virtues, than to correct ourselves of a single fault.

The exact contrary of what is generally believed is often the truth.

A person's worth in this world is estimated according to the value he puts on himself.

We seldom repent of speaking little, very often of speaking too much: a vulgar and trite maxim, which all the world knows and, but which all the world does not practice