Doubt and distraction are on earth, the brightness of truth in heaven.
Punishment can oppose a barrier to open crime, laws cannot reach to secret offences.
Wine and good dinners make abundance of friends, but in time of adversity not one is to be found.
Let every man sweep the snow from before his own doors, and not trouble himself about the hoarfrost on his neighbor’s tiles.
Better be upright with poverty than depraved with abundance. He whose virtue exceeds his talents is the good man; he whose talents exceed his virtues is the fool.
Though a man may be utterly stupid, he is very perspicuous when reprehending the bad actions of others; though he may be very intelligent, he is dull enough when excusing his own faults: do you only correct yourselves on the same principle that you correct others, and excuse others on the same principles you excuse yourselves.[346]
If I do not debauch other men’s wives, my own will not be polluted.
Better not be than be nothing.
The egg fights with the rock—hopeless resistance.
One thread does not make a rope; one swallow does not make a summer.