No man can possibly improve in any company for which he has not respect enough to be under some degree of restraint.

To know a little of anything gives neither satisfaction nor credit, but often brings disgrace or ridicule.

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.

Without any extraordinary effort of genius, I have discovered that nature was the same three thousand years ago as at present; that men were but men then as well as now; that modes and customs vary often, but that human nature is always the same. And I can no more suppose, that men were better, braver, or wiser, fifteen hundred or three thousand years ago, than I can suppose that the animals or vegetables were better than they are now.

Common sense (which, in truth, is very uncommon) is the best sense I know of: abide by it; it will counsel you best.

The heart never grows better by age; I fear rather worse; always harder.

If ever a man and his wife, or a man and his mistress, who pass nights as well as days together, absolutely lay aside all good breeding, their intimacy will soon degenerate into a coarse familiarity, infallibly productive of contempt or disgust.