Men indulge those opinions and practices that favor their pretensions.

Money does all things,--for it gives and it takes away; it makes honest men and knaves, fools and philosophers; and so forward, mutatis mutandis, to the end of the chapter.

Passions, as fire and water, are good servants, but bad masters, and subminister to the best and worst purposes.

What man in his right senses, that has wherewithal to live free, would make himself a slave for superfluities? What does that man want who has enough? Or what is he the better for abundance that can never be satisfied.

Some natures are so sour and ungrateful that they are never to be obliged.

Unruly ambition is deaf, not only to the advice of friends, but to the counsels and monitions of reason itself.

There are braying men in the world, as well as braying asses; for what is loud and senseless talking any other than away of braying?