It is, however, not necessary, that a man should forbear to write, till he has discovered some truth unknown before; he may be sufficiently useful, by only diversifying the surface of knowledge, and luring the mind by a new appearance to a second view of those beauties which it had passed over inattentively before.

Human life is everywhere a state in which much is to be endured, and little to be enjoyed.

If an author be supposed to involve his thoughts in voluntary obscurity, and to obstruct, by unnecessary difficulties, a mind eager in the pursuit of truth; if he writes not to make others learned, but to boast the learning which he possesses himself, and wishes to be admired rather than understood, he counteracts the first end of writing, and justly suffers the utmost severity of censure, or the more afflicting severity of neglect.

Of all the grief's that harass the distressed; sure the most bitter is a scornful jest.

By forbearing to do what may innocently be done, we may add hourly new vigor to resolution.

We seldom learn the true want of what we have till it is discovered that we can have no more.

I respect Millar, sir: he has raised the price of literature.