“In taking revenge, a man is but even with his enemy; but in passing it over, he is superior”

There is no exquisite beauty, without some strangeness in the proportion.

Philosophy when superficially studied, excites doubt, when thoroughly explored, it dispels it.

To suffering there is a limit; to fearing, none.

Age appears best in four things: old wood to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust and old authors to read.

They are ill discoverers that think there is no land when they can see nothing but sea.

Man prefers to believe what he prefers to be true.

Nature cannot be commanded except by being obeyed.

The best part of beauty is that which no picture can express.

God has, in fact, written two books, not just one. Of course, we are all familiar with the first book he wrote, namely Scripture. But he has written a second book called creation.

He that will not apply new remedies must expect new evils; for time is the greatest innovator.

The less people speak of their greatness, the more we think of it.

Whosoever is delighted in solitude is either a wild beast or a god.

By far the best proof is experience.

Histories make men wise; poets, witty; the mathematics, subtle; natural philosophy, deep; moral, grave; logic and rhetoric, able to contend.

A man that is young in years may be old in hours if he have lost no time.

There is no comparison between that which is lost by not succeeding and that which is lost by not trying.

You’re holding the world and its woes. But in the end who’s holding you?

I don’t wish jail on nobody, not even my worst enemies.

One enemy can do more hurt than ten friends can do good.

Words, as is well known, are the great foes of reality.

The innocent and the beautiful have no enemy but time.

But O the exceeding grace Of highest God, that loves his creatures so, And all his works with mercy doth embrace, That blessed angels, he sends to and fro, To serve to wicked man, to serve his wicked foe.

Wine is a turncoat; first a friend and then an enemy.

We have come to think of taking offence as a fundamental right. We value very little more highly than our rage, which gives us, in our opinion, the moral high ground. From there we can shoot down at our enemies and inflict heavy fatalities.