Who does not more admire Cicero as an author than as a consul of Rome?

There is a sort of economy in Providence that one shall excel where another is defective, in order to make men more useful to each other, and mix them in society.

Religion prescribes to every miserable man the means of bettering his condition; nay, it shows him that the bearing of his afflictions as he ought to do, will naturally end in the removal of them.

It is impossible for authors to discover beauties in one another's works; they have eyes only for spots and blemishes.

Jesters do often prove prophets.

But in all despotic governments, though a particular prince may favour arts and letter, there is a natural degeneracy of mankind.

Others proclaim the infirmities of a great man with satisfaction and complacence, if they discover none of the like in themselves.