Few of those who fill the world with books, have any pretensions to the hope either of pleasing or instructing. They have often no other task than to lay two books before them, out of which they compile a third, without any new material of their own, and with very little application of judgment to those which former authors have supplied.

Each person's work is always a portrait of himself.

The balls of sight are so formed, that one man's eyes are spectacles to another, to read his heart with.

He that shall peruse the political pamphlets of any past reign will wonder why they were so eagerly read, or so loudly praised.

A lawyer has no business with the justice or injustice of the cause which he undertakes, unless his client asks his opinion, and then he is bound to give it honestly. The justice or injustice of the cause is to be decided by the judge.

Consider what importance to society the chastity of women is. Upon that all the property in the world depends. We hang a thief for stealing a sheep; but the unchastity of a woman transfers sheep and farm and all from the right owner.

There is no being so poor and so contemptible, who does not think there is somebody still poorer, and still more contemptible.