When Laziness letteth things alone, it is a Disease; but when Skill doth it, it is a Vertue.
Malice may help a Fool to aggravate, but there must be Skill to know how to extenuate.
To lessen an Object that at the first Sight giveth Offence, requireth a dexterous Hand: There must be Strength as well as Skill to take off the Weight of the first Impression.
When a Man is very unfortunate, it looketh like a saucy thing in him to justify himself.
A Man must stoop sometimes to his ill Star, but he must never lie down to it.
The Vindications Men make of themselves to Posterity would hardly be supported by Good-Sense, if they were not of some Advantage to their own Families.
The defending an ill Thing is more criminal than the doing it, because it wanteth the Excuse of its not being premeditated.
An Advocate for Injustice is like a Bawd that is worse than her Client who committeth the Sin.
There is hardly any Man so strict as not to vary a little from Truth when he is to make an Excuse.
Not telling all the Truth is hiding it, and that is comforting or abetting a Lye.