Merit rather enforces respect than attracts fondness.

Friendship is seldom lasting but between equals, or where the superiority on one side is reduced by some equivalent advantage on the other.

The prosperity of a people is proportionate to the number of hands and minds usefully employed. To the community, sedition is a fever, corruption is a gangrene, and idleness is an atrophy. Whatever body or society wastes more than it acquires, must gradually decay, and every being that continues to be fed, and eases to labor, takes away something from the public stock.

Praise, like gold and diamonds, owes its value only to its scarcity.

In civilized society we all depend upon each other, and our happiness is very much owing to the good opinion of mankind.

There is nothing so minute, or inconsiderable, that I would not rather know it than not.

The commodiousness of money is indeed great; but there are some advantages which money cannot buy, and which therefore no wise man will by the love of money be tempted to forego.