“Ignorance, when it is voluntary, is criminal; and he may be properly charged with evil who refused to learn how he might prevent it.”

Power is gradually stealing away from the many to the few, because the few are more vigilant and consistent.

The wise man applauds he who he thinks most virtuous; the rest of the world applauds the wealthy.

Pride is a vice, which pride itself inclines every man to find in others, and to overlook in himself.

He who waits to do a great deal of good at once will never do anything.

If your determination is fixed, I do not counsel you to despair. Few things are impossible to diligence and skill. Great works are performed not by strength, but perseverance.

A contempt of the monuments and the wisdom of the past, may be justly reckoned one of the reigning follies of these days, to which pride and idleness have equally contributed.

All travel has its advantages. If the passenger visits better countries, he may learn to improve his own. And if fortune carries him to worse, he may learn to enjoy it.

A wise man will make haste to forgive, because he knows the true value of time, and will not suffer it to pass away in unnecessary pain.

Whoever commits a fraud is guilty not only of the particular injury to him who he deceives, but of the diminution of that confidence which constitutes not only the ease but the existence of society.

Courage is reckoned the greatest of all virtues; because, unless a man has that virtue, he has no security for preserving any other.

Deviation from Nature is deviation from happiness.

Advice is seldom welcome. Those who need it most, like it least.

No man will be a sailor who has contrivance enough to get himself into a jail; for being in a ship is being in a jail, with the chance of being drowned. A man in a jail has more room, better food, and commonly better company.

When once the forms of civility are violated, there remains little hope of return to kindness or decency.

Language is the dress of thought; every time you talk your mind is on parade.

It is better to live rich than to die rich.

All men make mistakes, but a good man yields when he knows his course is wrong, and repairs the evil. The only crime is pride.

Truth suffers no loss if a vehement youth fails in finding it, in the same way that virtue and religion suffer no detriment if a criminal denies them.

If you think anyone goes out and commits crimes because of some daffy film they’ve seen, then I question your judgment.

It is criminal to steal a purse, daring to steal a fortune, a mark of greatness to steal a crown. The blame diminishes as the guilt increases.

Funny that all of Nixon’s crimes – anonymous campaign cash, wiretapping, undeclared wars – are all legal now. Discuss.

The secret of great fortunes without apparent cause is a crime forgotten, for it was properly done.

When women love us, they forgive us everything, even our crimes; when they do not love us, they give us credit for nothing, not even our virtues.

Well, I’m used to rubbing shoulders with crooks and criminals.