O friendship! thou fond soother of the human breast, to thee we fly in every calamity; to thee the wretched seek for succor; on thee the care-tired son of misery fondly relies; from thy kind assistance the unfortunate always hopes relief, and may be sure of--disappointment.

While selfishness joins hands with no one of the virtues, benevolence is allied to them all.

There is nothing magnanimous in bearing misfortunes with fortitude, when the whole world is looking on.... He who, without friends to encourage or even without hope to alleviate his misfortunes, can behave with tranquility and indifference, is truly great.

Tenderness is a virtue.

Ridicule has always been the enemy of enthusiasm, and the only worthy opponent to ridicule is success.

Crimes generally punish themselves.

The mind is ever ingenious in making its own distress.