I have often thought that there has rarely passed a life of which a judicious and faithful narrative would not be useful; for not only every man has, in the mighty mass of the world, great numbers in the same condition with himself, to whom his mistakes and miscarriages, escapes and expedients, would be of immediate and apparent use; but there is such a uniformity in the state of man, considered apart from adventitious and separable decorations and disguises, that there is scarce any possibility of good or ill but is common to human kind.

Pleasure that is obtained by unreasonable and unsuitable cost must always end in pain.

A translator is to be like his author; it is not his business to excel him.

Abstinence is as easy to me as temperance would be difficult.

On Sir Joshua Reynolds's observing that the real character of a man was found out by his amusements. Yes, Sir, no man is a hypocrite in his pleasures.

It matters not how a man dies, but how he lives.

I also admit, that there are some sluggish men who are improved by drinking; as there are fruits which are not good till they are rotten.