Frugality may be termed the daughter of Prudence, the sister of Temperance, and the parent of Liberty.

Vulgar and inactive minds confound familiarity with knowledge, and conceive themselves informed of the whole nature of things, when they are shown their form or told their use.

Among the calamities of war may be justly numbered the diminution of the love of truth by falsehoods which interest dictates and credulity encourages. A peace will equally leave the warrior and the relater of wars destitute of employment; and I know not whether more is to be dreaded from streets filled with soldiers accustomed to plunder, or from garrets filled with scribblers accustomed to lie.

Fine clothes are good only as they supply the want of other means of procuring respect.

It is very common for us to desire most what we are least qualified to obtain.

I fancy mankind may come, in time, to write all aphoristically, except in narrative; grow weary of preparation, and connection, and illustration, and all those arts by which a big book is made.

The roads of science are narrow, so that they who travel them, must wither follow or meet one another.