The feeling of friendship is like that of being comfortably filled with roast beef; love, like being enlivened with champagne.

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.

Self-love is a busy prompter.

The return of my birthday, if I remember it, fills me with thoughts which it seems to be the general care of humanity to escape.

When any fit of gloominess, or perversion of mind, lays hold upon you, make it a rule not to publish it by complaints, but exert your whole care to hide it; by endeavouring to hide it; you will dry it away. Be always busy.

Pride is a vice, which pride itself inclines every man to find in others, and to overlook in himself

Complaints are vain; we will try to. do better another time. To-morrow and to-morrow. A few designs and a few failures, and the time of designing is past.