There is no society or conversation to be kept up in the world without good-nature, or something which must bear its appearance and supply its place. For this reason mankind have been forced to invent a kind of artificial humanity, which is what we express by the word Good-Breeding.

We find that Good and Evil happen alike to all Men on this Side of the Grave; and as the principle Design of Tragedy is to raise Commiseration and Terror in the Minds of the Audience, we shall defeat this great End, if we always make Virtue and Innocence happy and successful.

Love is a second life; it grows into the soul, warms every vein, and beats in every pulse.

Physic is, for the most part, only a substitute for temperance and exercise.

What pity is it That we can die, but once to serve our country.

It is pleasant to see a notorious profligate seized with a concern for religion, and converting his spleen into zeal.

A true critic ought to dwell upon excellencies rather than imperfections, to discover the concealed beauties of a writer, and communicate to the world such things as are worth their observation.