Books have always a secret influence on the understanding; we cannot at pleasure obliterate ideas; he that reads books of science, thogh without any fixed desire of improvement, will grow more knowing.

It is very strange, and very melancholy, that the paucity of human pleasures should persuade us ever to call hunting one of them.

The most useful truths are always universal, and unconnected with accidents and customs.

This was a good dinner enough, to be sure, but it was not a dinner to ask a man to.

I wish you would add an index rerum, that when the reader recollects any incident he may easily find it.

Every man is rich or poor according to the proportion between his desires and his enjoyments.

An author places himself uncalled before the tribunal of criticism and solicits fame at the hazard of disgrace.