Imaginary evils soon become real ones by indulging our reflections on them; as he who in a melancholy fancy sees something like a face on the wall or the wainscot can, by two or three touches with a lead pencil, make it look visible, and agreeing with what he fancied.

The translators of the Bible were masters of an English style much fitter for that work than any we see in our present writings; the which is owing to the simplicity that runs through the whole.

They say fingers were made before forks, and hands before knives.

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

Nothing is so great an example of bad manners as flattery. If you flatter all the company, you please none; If you flatter only one or two, you offend the rest.

One enemy can do more hurt than ten friends can do good.

Some men, under the notion of weeding out prejudice, eradicate virtue, honesty and religion.