All general judgments are loose and imperfect

Business in a certain sort of men is a mark of understanding, and they are honored for it. Their souls seek repose in agitation, as children do by being rocked in a cradle. They may pronounce themselves as serviceable to their friends as troublesome to themselves. No one distributes his money to others, but every one therein distributes his time and his life. There is nothing of which we are so prodigal as of those two things, of which to be thrifty would be both commendable and useful.

Intoxication is calculated to put heart into the elderly and give them delight in dancing.

For there is no air that men so greedily draw in, that diffuses itself so soon, and that penetrates so deep as that of license.

Make your educational laws strict and your criminal ones can be gentle; but if you leave youth its liberty you will have to dig dungeons for ages.

For table-talk, I prefer the pleasant and witty before the learned and the grave; in bed, beauty before goodness.

Not being able to govern events, I govern myself, and apply myself to them if they will not apply themselves to me.