Terrestrial happiness is of short duration. The brightness of the flame is wasting its fuel; the fragrant flower is passing away in its own odors.

Avarice is a uniform and tractable vice; other intellectual distempers are different in different constitutions of mind. That which soothes the pride of one will offend the pride of another, but to the favor of the covetous bring money, and nothing is denied.

Most minds are the slaves of external circumstances, and conform to any hand that undertakes to mould them.

Pity is not natural to man. Children always are cruel. Savages are always cruel.

Affectation naturally counterfeits those excellences which are placed at the greatest distance from possibility of attainment, because, knowing our own defects, we eagerly endeavor to supply them with artificial excellence.

Whoever shall review his life, will find that the whole tenor of his conduct has been determined by some accident of no apparent moment.

Men have solicitude about fame; and the greater share they have of it, the more afraid they are of losing it.