No wise man can have a contempt for the prejudices of others; and he should even stand in a certain awe of his own, as if they were aged parents and monitors. They may in the end prove wiser than he.

Friendship is cemented by interest, vanity, or the want of amusement; it seldom implies esteem, or even mutual regard.

Power is pleasure; and pleasure sweetens pain.

Religion either makes men wise and virtuous, or it makes them set up false pretenses to both.

A distinction has been made between acuteness and subtlety of understanding. This might be illustrated by saying that acuteness consists in taking up the points or solid atoms, subtlety in feeling the air of truth.

Words are the only things that last for ever.

Features alone do not run in the blood; vices and virtues, genius and folly, are transmitted through the same sure but unseen channel.