“Suffering itself does less afflict the senses than the apprehension of suffering.”

While we are examining into everything we sometimes find truth where we least expected it.

It seldom happens that a premature shoot of genius ever arrives at maturity.

Vain hopes are like certain dreams of those who wake.

Forbidden pleasures alone are loved immoderately; when lawful, they do not excite desire.

Everything that has a beginning comes to an end.

He who speaks evil only differs from his who does evil in that he lacks opportunity.

Fear of the future is worse than one’s present fortune.

The obscurity of a writer is generally in proportion to his incapacity.

That which prematurely arrives at perfection soon perishes.

Conscience is a thousand witnesses.

God, that all-powerful Creator of nature and architect of the world, has impressed man with no character so proper to distinguish him from other animals, as by the faculty of speech.

Men of quality are in the wrong to undervalue, as they often do, the practise of a fair and quick hand in writing; for it is no immaterial accomplishment.

One thing, however, I must premise, that without the assistance of natural capacity, rules and precepts are of no efficacy.

A liar should have a good memory.

She abounds with lucious faults.

The perfection of art is to conceal art.

The most human thing we can do is comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.