True wit, to every man, is that which falls on another.

Political men, like goats, usually thrive best among inequalities.

We cannot at once catch the applauses of the vulgar and expect the approbation of the wise.

Whatever is worthy to be loved for anything is worthy of preservation. A wise and dispassionate legislator, if any such should ever arise among men, will not condemn to death him who has done or is likely to do more service than injury to society. Blocks and gibbets are the nearest objects with legislators, and their business is never with hopes or with virtues.

Prose on certain occasions can bear a great deal of poetry; on the other hand, poetry sinks and swoons under a moderate weight of prose.

All schools of philosophy, and almost all authors, are rather to be frequented for exercise than for weight.

A critic is never too severe when he only detects the faults of an author. But he is worse than too severe when, in consequence of this detection, be presumes to place himself on a level with genius.