Fancy is imagination in her youth and adolescence. Fancy is always excursive; imagination, not seldom, is sedate.

An ingenious mind feels in unmerited praise the bitterest reproof.

Friendships are the purer and the more ardent, the nearer they come to the presence of God, the Sun not only of righteousness but of love.

Truth is a point, the subtlest and finest; harder than adamant; never to be broken, worn away, or blunted. Its only bad quality is, that it is sure to hurt those who touch it; and likely to draw blood, perhaps the life blood, of those who press earnestly upon it.

My thoughts are my company; I can bring them together, select them, detain them, dismiss them.

Religion is the eldest sister of philosophy: on whatever subjects they may differ, it is unbecoming in either to quarrel, and most so about their inheritance.

Despotism sits nowhere so secure as under the effigy and ensigns of freedom.