It is the nature of an hypothesis, when once a man has conceived it, that it assimilates every thing to itself, as proper nourishment; and, from the first moment of your begetting it, it generally grows the stronger by every thing you see, hear, read, or understand.

Is this a fit time, said my father to himself, to talk of Pensions and Grenadiers?

Chance is the providence of adventurers.

But this is neither here nor there why do I mention it? Ask my pen, it governs me, I govern not it.

The mind should be accustomed to make wise reflections, and draw curious conclusions as it goes along; the habitude of which made Pliny the Younger affirm that he never read book so bad but he drew some profit from it.

The proper education of poor children [is] the ground-work of almost every other kind of charity.... Without this foundation firstlaid, how much kindnessis unavoidably cast away?

Shall we for ever make new books, as apothecaries make new mixtures, by pouring only out of one vessel into another?