Greatness, with private men Esteem’d a blessing, is to me a curse; And we, whom, for our high births, they conclude The happy freemen, are the only slaves. Happy the golden mean!
Tis the only discipline we are born for; all studies else are but as circular lines, and death the center where they all must meet.
Black detraction will find faults where they are not.
Petitions, not sweetened with gold, are but unsavory and oft refused; or, if received, are pocketed, not read.
The over curious are not over wise.
We have not an hour of life in which our pleasures relish not some pain, our sours, some sweetness.
He that knows no guilt can know no fear.
He that doth public good for multitudes, finds few are truly grateful.
Conscience and wealth are not always neighbors.
The good needs fear no law, It is his safety and the bad man’s awe.
Like a rough orator, that brings more truth Than rhetoric, to make good his accusation.
I in my own house am an emperor, And will defend what’s mine.
They are only safe That know to soothe the prince’s appetite, And serve his lusts.
Nay, droop not, fellows; innocence should be bold.
The soul is strong that trusts in goodness.
He is not valiant that dares lie; but he that boldly bears calamity.
Virtue, thou in rags, may challenge more than vice set off with all the trim of greatness.
For any man to match above his rank is but to sell his liberty.
0 summer friendship, whose flat-tering leaves shadowed us in our prosperity, With the least gust, drop off in the autumn of adversity.
Cheerful looks make every dish a feast, and it is that which crowns a welcome.
What a seaOf melting ice I walk on!