We every day and every hour say things of another that we might more properly say of ourselves, could we but apply our observations to our own concerns.

A good marriage ... is a sweet association in life: full of constancy, trust, and an infinite number of useful and solid services and mutual obligations.

Amongst all other vices there is none I hate more than cruelty, both by nature and judgment, as the extremest of all vices.

In true friendship, in which I am expert, I give myself to my friend more than I draw him to me. I not only like doing him good better than having him do me good, but also would rather have him do good to himself than to me; he does me most good when he does himself good.

An honest man is not accountable for the vice and folly of his trade, and therefore ought not to refuse the exercise of it. It is the custom of his country, and there is profit in it. We must live by the world, and such as we find it, so make use of it.

Excellent memories are often coupled with feeble judgments.

Anyone who does not feel sufficiently strong in memory should not meddle with lying.