The breath of the mind is attention.

Pleasures are always children, pains always have wrinkles.

Genuine witticisms surprise those who say them as much as those who listen to them; they arise in us in spite of us, or, at least, without our participation,--like everything inspired.

Forms of government become established of themselves. They shape themselves, they are not created. We may give them strength and consistency, but we cannot call them into being. Let us rest assured that the form of government can never be a matter of choice: it is almost always a matter of necessity.

Lenity is a part of justice; but she must not speak too loud for fear of waking justice.

The Bible is to religion what the Iliad is to poetry

Genuinely good remarks surprise their author as well as his audience.