The most pernicious of absurdities is that weak, blind, stupid faith is better than the constant practice of every human virtue.

Circumstances form the character; but, like petrifying matters, they harden while they form.

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

Old trees in their living state are the only things that money cannot command.

We must distinguish between felicity and prosperity; for prosperity leads often to ambition, and ambition to disappointment; the course is then over, the wheel turns round but once, while the reaction of goodness and happiness is perpetual.

The happy never say, and never hear said, farewell.

Authors are like cattle going to a fair: those of the same field can never move on without butting one another.