No man is born wise; but wisdom and virtue require a tutor; though we can easily learn to be vicious without a master.

It is only the surprise and newness of the thing which makes that misfortune terrible which by premeditation might be made easy to us. For that which some people make light by sufferance, others do by foresight.

You need a change of soul rather than a change of climate.

The bounty of nature is too little for the greedy person.

It is only luxury and avarice that make poverty grievous to us; for it is a very small matter that does our business, and when we have provided against cold, hunger, and thirst, all the rest is but vanity and excess.

Men can be divided into 2 groups: one that goes ahead and achieves something, and one that comes after and criticizes.

The intellect must not be kept at consistent tension, but diverted by pastimes.... The mind must have relaxation, and will rise stronger and keener after recreation.