It is the nature of every person to error, but only the fool perseveres in error.

An innocent man, if accused, can be acquitted; a guilty man, unless accused, cannot be condemned. It is, however, more advantageous to absolve an innocent than not to prosecute a guilty man.

The searching-out and thorough investigation of truth ought to be the primary study of man.

It is not easy to distinguish between true and false affection, unless there occur one of those crises in which, as gold is tried by fire, so a faithful friendship may be tested by danger.

They are eloquent who can speak low things acutely, and of great things with dignity, and of moderate things with temper.

Old age by nature is rather talkative.

Since an intelligence common to us all makes things known to us and formulates them in our minds, honorable actions are ascribed by us to virtue, and dishonorable actions to vice; and only a madman would conclude that these judgments are matters of opinion, and not fixed by nature.