“Friendships ought to be immortal, hostilities mortal.”

An honor prudently declined often returns with increased luster.

The old Romans all wished to have a king over them because they had not yet tasted the sweetness of freedom.

Shared danger is the strongest of bonds; it will keep men united in spite of mutual dislike and suspicion.

Truth is often eclipsed but never extinguished.

The result showed that fortune helps the brave.

Such is the nature of crowds: either they are humble and servile or arrogant and dominating. They are incapable of making moderate use of freedom, which is the middle course, or of keeping it.

Men’s minds are too ready to excuse guilt in themselves.

Events of great consequence often spring from trifling circumstances.

War is just to those to whom war is necessary.

War is just to those for whom it is necessary, and arms are clear of impiety for those who have no hope left but in arms.

He will have true glory who despises it.

All things will be clear and distinct to the man who does not hurry; haste is blind and improvident.

There is nothing worse than being ashamed of parsimony or poverty.

Wit is the flower of the imagination.

Those ills are easiest to bear with which we are most familiar.

Avarice and luxury, those evils which have been the ruin of every great state.

Open your life wide, and take me in forever. I will never be tired-I will never be noisy when you want to be still…nobody else will see me, but you-but that is enough-I shall not want any more.

Unable are the loved to die, for love is immortality.

Forever – is composed of Nows – ‘Tis not a different time. Let Months dissolve in further Months – And Years – exhale in Years.

It was the meanest moment of eternity.

While you have a thing it can be taken from you, but when you give it, you have given it. No robber can take it from you. It is yours then forever when you have given it. It will be yours always. That is to give.

Seriousness is an accident of time. It consists of putting too high a value on time. In eternity there is no time. Eternity is a moment, just long enough for a joke.

I’ve put in so many enigmas and puzzles that it will keep the professors busy for centuries arguing over what I meant, and that’s the only way of insuring one’s immortality.

There is not past, no future; everything flows in an eternal present.