Be assured that, although men of eminent genius have been guilty of all other vices, none worthy of more than a secondary name has ever been a gamester. Either an excess of avarice or a deficiency of what, in physics, is called excitability, is the cause of it; neither of which can exist in the same bosom with genius, with patriotism, or with virtue.

The vain poet is of the opinion that nothing of his can be too much: he sends to you basketful after basketful of juiceless fruit, covered with scentless flowers.

Fame, they tell you, is air; but without air there is no life for any; without fame there is none for the best.

There is a vast deal of vital air in loving words.

Truth sometimes corner unawares upon Caution, and sometimes speaks in public as unconsciously as in a dream.

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

If in argument we can make a man angry with us, we have drawn him from his vantage ground and overcome him.