“When you have nothing to say, say nothing; a weak defense strengthens your opponent, and silence is less injurious than a bad reply.”

Men of great and shining qualities do not always succeed in life, but the fault lies more often in themselves than in others.

There is nothing more imprudent than excessive prudence.

Doubt is the vestibule through which all must pass before they can enter into the temple of wisdom.

God will excuse our prayers for ourselves whenever we are prevented from them by being occupied in such good works as to entitle us to the prayers of others.

There are two principles of established acceptance in morals; first, that self-interest is the mainspring of all of our actions, and secondly, that utility is the test of their value.

Times of great calamity and confusion have been productive for the greatest minds. The purest ore is produced from the hottest furnace. The brightest thunder-bolt is elicited from the darkest storm.

Grant graciously what you cannot refuse safely and conciliate those you cannot conquer.

It is the briefest yet wisest maxim which tells us to meddle not.

For one man who sincerely pities our misfortunes, there are a thousand who sincerely hate our success.

Logic and metaphysics make use of more tools than all the rest of the sciences put together, and do the least work.

As no roads are so rough as those that have just been mended, so no sinners are so intolerant as those that have just turned saints.

Silence is less injurious than a weak reply.

Next to acquiring good friends, the best acquisition is that of good books.

It is doubtful whether mankind are most indebted to those who like Bacon and Butler dig the gold from the mine of literature, or to those who, like Paley, purify it, stamp it, fix its real value, and give it currency and utility.

We often pretend to fear what we really despise, and more often despise what we really fear.

Mystery magnifies danger as the fog the sun.