As a madman is apt to think himself grown suddenly great, so he that grows suddenly great is apt to borrow a little from the madman.

The specualtist, who is not content with superficial views, harasses himself with fruitless curiosity; and still, as he inquires more, perceives only that he knows less.

There ambush here relentless ruffians lay, And here the fell attorney prowls for prey.

If he does really think that there is no distinction between virtue and vice, why, sir, when he leaves our houses let us count our spoons.

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.

Books, says Lord Bacon, can never teach us the use of books; the student must learn by commerce with mankind to reduce his speculations to practice. No man should think so highly of himself as to think he can receive but little light from books; no one so meanly, as to believe he can discover nothing but what is to be learned from them.

Being married to those sleepy-souled women is just like playing at cards for nothing: no passion is excited and the time is filled up. I do not, however, envy a fellow one of those honeysuckle wives for my part, as they are but creepers at best and commonly destroy the tree they so tenderly cling about.