Man cannot make, or invent, or contrive principles; he can only discover them; and he ought to look through the discovery to the Author.

Character is much easier kept than recovered.

It has been the political career of this man to begin with hypocrisy, proceed with arrogance, and finish with contempt

Time makes more converts than reason.

The intellectual part of religion is a private affair between every man and his Maker, and in which no third party has any right to interfere. The practical part consists in our doing good to each other. But since religion has been made into a trade, the practical part has been made to consist of ceremonies performed by men called priests ... By devices of this kind true religion has been banished, and such means have been found out to extract money, even from the pockets of the poor, instead of contributing to their relief.

It is from our enemies that we often gain excellent maxims, and are frequently surprised into reason by their mistakes.

The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress and grow.