Sir, if you wish to have a just notion of the magnitude of this city, you must not be satisfied with seeing its great streets and squares, but must survey the innumerable little lanes and courts. It is not in the showy evolutions of buildings, but in the multiplicity of human habitations which are crowded together, that the wonderful immensity of London consists.

You can never be wise unless you love reading.

Such is the emptiness of human enjoyment that we are always impatient of the present. Attainment is followed by neglect, and possession by disgust.

An exotic and irrational entertainment.

Irresolution and mutability are often the faults of men whose views are wide, and whose imagination is vigorous and excursive.

Mankind have a great aversion to intellectual labor; but even supposing knowledge to be easily attainable, more people would be content to be ignorant than would take even a little trouble to acquire it.

Ease, a neutral state between pain and pleasure ... if it is not rising into pleasure will be falling towards pain.