Sir, he [Bolingbroke] was a scoundrel and a coward: a scoundrel for charging a blunderbuss against religion and morality; a coward, because he had not resolution to fire it off himself, but left half a crown to a beggarly Scotsman to draw the trigger at his death.

People in general do not willingly read if they have anything else to amuse them.

This is my history; like all other histories, a narrative of misery.

We ought not to raise expectations which it is not in our power to satisfy.-It is more pleasing to see smoke brightening into flame, than flame sinking into smoke.

There is no being so poor and so contemptible, who does not think there is somebody still poorer, and still more contemptible.

No member of a society has a right to teach any doctrine contrary to what the society holds to be true.

To do nothing is in everyone's power.