Dignity, high station, or great riches, are in some sort necessary to old men, in order to keep the younger at a distance, who are otherwise too apt to insult them upon the score of their age.

The ruin of a State is generally preceded by an universal degeneracy of manners and contempt of religion.

When dunces are satiric, I take it for a panegyric.

Story-telling is subject to two unavoidable defects,--frequent repetition and being soon exhausted; so that, whoever values this gift in himself, has need of a good memory, and ought frequently to shift his company.

Promises and pie-crust are made to be broken.

If a man makes me keep my distance, the comfort is, he keeps his at the same time.

I hate nobody: I am in charity with the world.