Where there is no difficulty there is no praise.

Hunger is never delicate.

Mutual cowardice keeps us in peace.

But to the particular species of excellence men are directed, not by an ascendant planet or predominating humour, but by the first book which they read, some early conversation which they heard, or some accident which excited ardour and emulation.

Pain and disease awaken us to convictions which are necessary to our moral condition.

The safe and general antidote against sorrow is employment. It is commonly observed, that among soldiers and seamen, though there is much kindness, there is little grief; they see their friend fall without any of that lamentation which is indulged in security and idleness, because they have no leisure to spare from the care of themselves; and whoever shall keep his thoughts equally busy will find himself equally unaffected with irretrievable losses.

We often look with indifference on the successive parts of something that, if the whole were seen together, would shake us with emotion.