We cannot perform our tasks to the best of our power, unless we think well of our own capacity.

The diligent scholar is he that loves himself, and desires to have reason to applaud and love himself.

We are so curiously made that one atom put in the wrong place in our original structure will often make us unhappy for life.

Perfectibility is one of the most unequivocal characteristics of the human species.

A celebrated north country apostle, who, after Calvin had damned ninety-nine in a hundred of mankind, had contrived a scheme for damning ninety-nine in a hundred of the followers of Calvin.

Learning is the ally, not the adversary of genius... he who reads in a proper spirit, can scarcely read too much.

Make men wise, and by that very operation you make them free. Civil liberty follows as a consequence of this; no usurped power can stand against the artillery of opinion.