Both wit and understanding are trifles without integrity. The ignorant peasant without fault is greater than the philosopher with many. What is genius or courage without a heart?
Every absurdity has a champion to defend it.
Laws grind the poor, and rich men rule the law.
Whatever mitigates the woes, or increases the happiness of others, is a just criterion of goodness; and whatever injures society at large, or any individual in it, is a criterion of iniquity.
A great source of calamity lies in regret and anticipation; therefore a person is wise who thinks of the present alone, regardless of the past or future.
I chose my wife, as she did her wedding gown, for qualities that would wear well.
The person whose clothes are extremely fine I am too apt to consider as not being possessed of any superiority of fortune, but resembling those Indians who are found to wear all the gold they have in the world in a bob at the nose.
With disadvantages enough to bring him to humility, a Scotsman is one of the proudest things alive.
There is a greatness in being generous, and there is only simple justice in satisfying creditors. Generosity is the part of the soul raised above the vulgar.
As some tall cliff that lifts its awful form, Swells from the vale, and midway leaves the storm,- Though round its breast the rolling clouds are spread, Eternal sunshine settles on its head.
It has been remarked that almost every character which has excited either attention or pity has owed part of its success to merit, and part to a happy concurrence of circumstances in its favor. Had Caesar or Cromwell exchanged countries, the one might have been a sergeant and the other an exciseman.
Wept o’er his wounds, or tales of sorrow done, Shoulder’d his crutch, and shew’d how fields were won.
When a person has no need to borrow they find multitudes willing to lend.
It seemed to me pretty plain, that they had more of love than matrimony in them.
Life has been compared to a race, but the allusion improves by observing, that the most swift are usually the least manageable and the most likely to stray from the course. Great abilities have always been less serviceable to the possessors than moderate ones.
As ten millions of circles can never make a square, so the united voice of myriads cannot lend the smallest foundation to falsehood.
The malicious sneer is improperly called laughter.
The loud laugh that spoke the vacant mind.
To make a fine gentleman, several trades are required, but chiefly a barber.
Those who think must govern those that toil.