Musick is certainly a very agreeable Entertainment, but if it would take the entire Possession of our Ears, if it would make us incapable of hearing Sense, if it would exclude Arts that have a much greater Tendency to the Refinement of human Nature; I must confess I would allow it no better Quarter than Plato has done, who banishes it out of his Common-wealth.

The talent of turning men into ridicule, and exposing to laughter those one converses with, is the qualification of little ungenerous tempers.

Thy steady temper, Portius, Can look on guilt, rebellion, fraud, and Cæsar, In the calm lights of mild philosophy.

A good disposition is more valuable than gold, for the latter is the gift of fortune, but the former is the dower of nature.

Plenty of people wish to become devout, but no one wishes to be humble.

There is nothing in which men more deceive themselves than in what they call zeal.

A brother's sufferings claim a brother's pity.