...a common observation, that few are mended by imprisonment, and that he, whose crimes have made confinement necessary, seldom makes any other use of his enlargement, than to do, with greater cunning, what he did before with less.

Human happiness has always its abatements; the brightest sunshine of success is not without a cloud.

Words too familiar, or too remote, defeat the purpose of a poet.

I doubt if there ever was a man who was not gratified by being told that he was liked by the women.

We love to overlook the boundaries which we do not wish to pass.

Instead of rating the man by his performances, we rate too frequently the performances by the man.

Where no man thinks himself under any obligation to submit to another, and, instead of co-operating in one great scheme, every one hastens through by-paths to private profit, no great change can suddenly be made; nor is superior knowledge of much effect, where every man resolves to use his own eyes and his own judgment, and every one applauds his own dexterity and diligence, in proportion as he becomes rich sooner than his neighbour.