Philanthropies and charities have a certain air of quackery.

Every sunset brings the promise of a new dawn

Our globe discovers its bidden virtues, not only in heroes and arch-angels, but in gossips and nurses.

When I behold a rich landscape, it is less to my purpose to recite correctly the order and superposition of the strata, than to know why all thought of multitude is lost in a tranquil sense of unity.

The crowning fortune of a man is to be born to some pursuit which finds him employment and happiness, whether it be to make baskets, or broadswords, or canals, or statues, or songs.

Among the multitude of scholars and authors, we feel no hallowing presence; we are sensible of a knack and skill rather than of inspiration; they have a light, and know not whence it comes, and call it their own; their talent is some exaggerated faculty, some overgrown member, so that their strength is a disease.

We are ashamed of our thoughts and often see them brought forth by others.