To display the greatest powers, unless they are applied to great purposes, makes nothing for the character of greatness.

Power is pleasure; and pleasure sweetens pain.

We talk little when we do not talk about ourselves.

To be wiser than other men is to be honester than they; and strength of mind is only courage to see and speak the truth.

We learn to curb our will and keep our overt actions within the bounds of humanity, long before we can subdue our sentiments and imaginations to the same mild tone.

The perfect joys of heaven do not satisfy the cravings of nature.

What is popular is not necessarily vulgar; and that which we try to rescue from fatal obscurity had in general much better remain where it is.