The middle sort of historians (of which the most part are) spoil all; they will chew our meat for us.

Each person calls barbarism whatever is not his or her own practice.... We may call Cannibals barbarians, in respect to the rulesof reason, but not in respect to ourselves, who surpass them in every kind of barbarity.

He whose mouth is out of taste says the wine is flat.

The beginnings of all things are weak and tender. We must therefore be clear-sighted in the beginnings, for, as in their budding we discern not the danger, so in their full growth we perceive not the remedy.

I find that the best virtue I have has in it some tincture of vice.

Lay a beam between these two towers of such width as we need to walk on: there is no philosophical wisdom of such great firmness that it can give us courage to walk on it as we should if it were on the ground.

The most profound joy has more of gravity than of gaiety in it.