While grief is fresh, every attempt to divert only irritates. You must wait till it be digested, and then amusement will dissipate the remains of it.

I know not any crime so great that a man could contrive to commit as poisoning the sources of eternal truth.

Few men survey themselves with so much severity as not to admit prejudices in their own favour, which an artful flatterer may gradually strengthen, till wishes for a particular qualification are improved to hopes of attainment, and hopes of attainment to belief of possession.

No man should attempt to teach others what he has never learned himself

A small country town is not the place in which one would choose to quarrel with a wife; every human being in such places is a spy.

Much may be made of a Scotchman, if he be caught young.

In proportion as our cares are employed upon the future, they are abstracted from the present, from the only time which we can call our own, and of which, if we neglect the apparent duties to make provision against visionary attacks, we shall certainly counteract our own purpose.