It is often more necessary to conceal contempt than resentment; the former is never forgiven, but the later is sometimes forgotten.

The mere brute pleasure of reading - the sort of pleasure a cow must have in grazing.

Conscious virtue is the only solid foundation of all happiness; for riches, power, rank, or whatever, in the common acceptation ofthe word, is supposed to constitute happiness, will never quiet, much less cure, the inward pangs of guilt.

A man of sense may be in haste, but can never be in a hurry.

Our prejudices are our mistresses; reason is at best our wife, very often heard indeed, but seldom minded.

Pleasure is the rock which most young people split upon; they launch out with crowded sails in quest of it, but without a compassto direct their course, or reason sufficient to steer the vessel; for want of which, pain and shame, instead of pleasure, are the returns of their voyage.

He makes people pleased with him by making them first pleased with themselves.