Most vices may be committed very genteelly: a man may debauch his friend's wife genteelly: he may cheat at cards genteelly

The belief of immortality is impressed upon all men, and all men act under an impression of it, however they may talk, and though, perhaps, they may be scarcely sensible of it.

No man is obliged to do as much as he can do. A man is to have part of his life to himself.

Christianity is the highest perfection of humanity.

All knowledge is of itself of some value. There is nothing so minute or inconsiderable, that I would not rather know it than not. In the same manner, all power, of whatever sort, is of itself desirable. A man would not submit to learn to hem a ruffle, of his wife, or his wife's maid; but if a mere wish could attain it, he would rather wish to be able to hem a ruffle.

Babies do not want to hear about babies; they like to be told of giants and castles.

Philosophy has often attempted to repress insolence by asserting that all conditions are leveled by death; a position which, however it may defect the happy, will seldom afford much comfort to the wretched.