The premeditation of death is the premeditation of liberty; he who has learnt to die has forgot to serve.

I may indeed very well happen to contradict myself; but truth, as Demades said, I do not contradict.

I love a gay and sociable wisdom, and shun harshness and austerity in behaviour, holding every surly countenance suspect.

I do not portray the thing in itself. I portray the passage; not a passing from one age to another, or, as the people put it, from seven years to seven years, but from day to day, from minute to minute.

Praise is always pleasing, let it come from whom, or upon what account it will.

In his commerce with men I mean him to include- and that principally- those who live only in the memory of books. By means of history he will frequent those great souls of former years. If you want it to be so, history can be a waste of time; it can also be, if you want it to be so, a study bearing fruit beyond price.

I do myself a greater injury in lying than I do him of whom I tell a lie.