If a man knows not life which he hath seen, how shall he know death, which he hath not seen?

Justice is my being allowed to do whatever I like. Injustice is whatever prevents my doing so.

Since God himself cannot change the past, He is obliged to tolerate the existence of historians.

Nature. As the word is now commonly used it excludes nature's most interesting productions-the works of man. Nature is usually taken to mean mountains, rivers, clouds and undomesticated animals and plants. I am not indifferent to this half of nature, but it interests me much less than the other half.

Brigands will demand your money or your life, but a woman will demand both

Spare the rod and spoil the child.

Adversity, if a man is set down to it by degrees, is more supportable with equanimity by most people than any great prosperity arrived at in a single lifetime.