Every man naturally persuades himself that he can keep his resolutions, nor is he convinced of his imbecility but by length of time and frequency of experiment.

A small country town is not the place in which one would choose to quarrel with a wife; every human being in such places is a spy.

Those who have no power to judge of past times but by their own, should always doubt their conclusions

Misery and shame are nearly allied.

What we read with inclination makes a much stronger impression. If we read without inclination, half the mind is employed in fixing the attention; so there is but one half to be employed on what we read.

Security will produce danger.

Prudence operates on life in the same manner as rule of composition; it produces vigilance rather than elevation; rather prevents loss than procures advantage; and often miscarriages, but seldom reaches either power or honor.