Vulgar and inactive minds confound familiarity with knowledge, and conceive themselves informed of the whole nature of things, when they are shown their form or told their use.

By those who look close to the ground dirt will be seen. I hope I see things from a greater distance.

A man used to vicissitudes is not easily dejected.

There is something in obstinacy which differs from every other passion. Whenever it fails, it never recovers, but either breaks like iron, or crumbles sulkily away, like a fractured arch. Most other passions have their periods of fatigue and rest, their sufferings and their cure; but obstinacy has no resource, and the first wound is mortal.

Among the lower classes of mankind there will be found very little desire of any other knowledge than what may contribute immediately to the relief of some pressing uneasiness, or the attainment of some near advantage.

Being reproached for giving to an unworthy person, Aristotle said, I did not give it to the man, but to humanity.

Sir, they are a race of convicts, and ought to be thankful for any thing we allow them short of hanging.