I have always believed that all things depended upon Fortune, and nothing upon ourselves.

Think'st thou there is no tyranny but that Of blood and chains? The despotism of vice-- The weakness and the wickedness of luxury-- The negligence--the apathy--the evils Of sensual sloth--produces ten thousand tyrants, Whose delegated cruelty surpasses The worst acts of one energetic master, However harsh and hard in his own bearing.

A thousand years may scare form a state. An hour may lay it in ruins.

There is something pagan in me that I cannot shake off. In short, I deny nothing, but doubt everything.

For all we know that English people are/ Fed upon beef - I won't say much of beer/ Because 'tis liquor only, and being far/ From this my subject, has no business here;/ We know too, they are very fond of war,/ A pleasure - like all pleasures - rather dear;/ So were the Cretans - from which I infer/ That beef and battle both were owing her

Pleasure's a sin, and sometimes sin's a pleasure.

Ada! sole daughter of my house and heart.