It is natural for every man uninstructed to murmur at his condition, because, in the general infelicity of life, he feels his own miseries without knowing that they are common to all the rest of the species; and, therefore, though he will not be less sensible of pain by being told that others are equally tormented, he will at least be freed from the temptation of seeking, by perpetual changes, that ease which is no where to be found, and though his diseases still continue, he escapes the hazard of exasperating it by remedies.

We owe to memory not only the increase of our knowledge, and our progress in rational inquiries, but many other intellectual pleasures

It is strange that there should be so little reading in the world, and so much writing. People in general do not willingly read, if they can have any thing else to amuse them.

The safe and general antidote against sorrow is employment.

The number of such as live without the ardour of inquiry is very small, though many content themselves with cheap amusements, and waste their lives in researches of no importance.

Corneille is to Shakespeare as a clipped hedge is to a forest.

The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good.