The chaste mind, like a polished plane, may admit foul thoughts, without receiving their tincture.

The most affluent may be stripped of all, and find his worldly comforts, like so many withered leaves, dropping from him.

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.

Some people pass through life soberly and religiously enough, without knowing way, or reasoning about it, but, from force of habit merely, go to heaven like fools.

Before an affliction is digested, consolation ever comes too soon; and after it is digested, it comes too late.

To have the fear of God before our eyes, and, in our mutual dealings with each other, to govern our actions by the eternal measures of right and wrong:MThe first of these will comprehend the duties of religion;Mthe second, those of morality, which are so inseparably connected together, that you cannot divide these two tableswithout breaking and mutually destroying them both.

To write a book is for all the world like humming a song.