I am a great friend to public amusements; for they keep people from vice.

The next best thing to knowing something is knowing where to find it.

The work of a correct and regular writer is a garden accurately formed and diligently planted, varied with shades, and scented with flowers.

When the original is well chosen and judiciously copied, the imitator often arrives at excellence which he could never have attained without direction; for few are formed with abilities to discover new possibilities of excellence, and to distinguish themselves by means never tried before.

A man has no more right to say an uncivil thing than to act one; no more right to say a rude thing to another than to knock him down.

Milton, Madam, was a genius that could cut a Colossus from a rock; but could not carve heads upon cherry-stones.

The certainty that life cannot be long, and the probability that it will be much shorter than nature allows, ought to awaken every man to the active prosecution of whatever he is desirous to perform. It is true, that no diligence can ascertain success; death may intercept the swiftest career; but he who is cut off in the execution of an honest undertaking has at least the honour of falling in his rank, and has fought the battle, though he missed the victory.