Let it be your constant method to look into the design of people's actions, and see what they would be at, as often as it is practicable; and to make this custom the more significant, practice it first upon yourself.

I, who have never willfully pained another, have no business to pain myself.

Neither in thy actions be sluggish nor in thy conversation without method, nor wandering in thy thoughts, nor let there be in thy soul inward contention nor external effusion, nor in life be so busy as to have no leisure.

Everything is born from change. ...there is nothing nature loves more that to alter what exists and make new things like it. All that exists is the seed of what will emerge from it. You think the only seeds are the one that make plants and children? Go deeper.

To no man make yourself a boon companion: Your joy will be less but less will be your grief

It is a shameful thing for the soul to faint while the body still perseveres.

Understand however that every man is worth just so much as the things are worth about which he busies himself.