The generality of men expend the early part of their lives in contributing to render the latter part miserable.
We meet With few utterly dull and stupid souls: the sublime and transcendent are still fewer; the generality of mankind stand between these two extremes: the interval is filled with multitudes of ordinary geniuses, but all very useful, and the ornaments and supports of the commonwealth.
Wit is the god of moments, but Genius is the god of ages.
An assembly of the states, a court of justice, shows nothing so serious and grave as a table of gamesters playing very high; a melancholy solicitude clouds their looks; envy and rancor agitate their minds while the meeting lasts, without regard to friendship, alliances, birth or distinctions.
It is a proof of boorishness to confer a favor with a bad grace; it is the act of giving that is hard and painful. How little does a smile cost?
Logic is the art of convincing us some truth.
I am told so many ill things of a man, and I see so few in him, that I begin to suspect he has a real but troublesome merit, as being likely to eclipse that of others.
When, after having read a work, loftier thoughts arise in your mind and noble and heartfelt feelings animate you, do not look for any other rule to judge it by; it is fine and written in a masterly manner.
Nothing makes us better understand what trifling things Providence thinks He bestows on men in granting them wealth, money, dignities, and other advantages, than the manner in which they are distributed and the kind of men who have the largest share.
It is a fool’s privilege to laugh at an intelligent man.
A man only goes and confesses his faults to the world when his self will not acknowledge or listen to them. WYNDHAM LEWIS, Tarr Two persons will not be friends long if they are not inclined to pardon each other’s little failings.
It is weakness which makes us hate an enemy and seek revenge, and it is idleness that pacifies us and causes us to neglect it.
We never deceive people to benefit them, for knavery is a compound of wickedness and falsehood.
Death happens but once, yet we feel it every moment of our lives; it is worse to dread it than to suffer it.
The most accomplished literary work would be reduced to nothing by carping criticism, if the author would listen to all critics and allow every one to erase the passage which pleases him the least.
To how many girls has a great beauty been of no other use but to make them expect a large fortune!
A faithless woman, if known to be such by the person concerned, is but faithless ; if she is believed faithful, she is treacherous.
Women become attached to men by the intimacies they grant them; men are cured of their love by the same intimacies.
The best way to get on in the world is to make people believe it’s to their advantage to help you.
Mockery is often the result of a poverty of wit.