"Suicide sometimes proceeds from cowardice but not always; for cowardice sometimes prevents it; since as many live because they are afraid to die, as die because they are afraid to live."

"It is always safe to learn, even from our enemies, seldom safe to venture to instruct, even our friends."

"Deliberate with caution, but act with decision; and yield with graciousness, or oppose with firmness."

"Imitation is the sincerest of flattery."

"Our incomes should be like our shoes, if too small, they will gall and pinch us, but, if too large, they will cause us to stumble, and to trip. But wealth, after all, is a relative thing, since he that has little, and wants less, is richer than he that has much, but wants more. True contentment depends not upon what we have, but upon what we would have; a tub was large enough for Diogenese, but a world was too little for Alexander."

"We ask advice, but we mean approbation."

"As in literature we shall find many things that are true, and some things that are new, but very few things that are both true and new, so also in life, we shall find many men that are great, and some men that are good, but very few men that are both great and good."

"We hate some persons because we do not know them; and we will not know them, because we hate them. Those friendships that succeed to such aversions are usually firm, for those qualities must be sterling that could not only gain our hearts, but conquer our prejudices. But the misfortune is, that we carry these prejudices into things far more serious than our friendships. Thus, there are truths which some men despise, because they have not examined, and which they will not examine, because they despise."

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

"An elegant writer has observed, that wit may do very well for a mistress, but that he should prefer reason for a wife."

"Pedantry prides herself on being wrong by rules; while common sense is contented to be right, without them."

"None are so fond of secrets as those who do not mean to keep them; such persons covet secrets as a spendthrift covets money, for the purpose of circulation."

"Ambition is to the mind, what the cap is to the falcon; it blinds us first, and then compels us to tower, by reason of our blindness. But alas, when we are at the summit of a vain ambition, we are also at the depth of real misery. We are placed where time cannot improve, but must impair us; where chance and change cannot befriend, but may betray us; in short, by attaining all we wish, and gaining all we want, we have only reached a pinnacle, where we have nothing to hope, but every thing to fear."

""Defendit numerus," is the maxim of the foolish; "Deperdit numerus," of the wise. The fact is, that an honest man will continue to be so, though surrounded on all sides by rogues. The whole world is turned upside down once in twenty-four hours; yet no one thinks of standing upon his head, rather than on his heels. He that can be honest, only because every one else is honest, or good, only because all around him are good, might have continued an angel, if he had been born one, but being a man, he will only add to that number, numberless, who go to hell for the bad things they have done, and for the good things which they intended to do."

"The poor man is ruined as soon as he begins to ape the rich."

"Familiarity breeds contempt."

"To do two things at once is to do neither."

"Let your life be pleasing to the multitude, and it can not be so to yourself."

"Speech is a mirror of the soul; as a man speaks, so is he."

"I have often regretted my speech, never my silence."

"It is a consolation to the wretched to have companions in misery."

"Either be silent or say something better than silence."

"Avarice is as destitute of what it has, as what it has not."

"The greatest of empires, is the empire over one's self."

"Prosperity makes friends, adversity tries them."

"Better to be ignorant of a matter than half know it."

"Everything is worth what its purchaser will pay for it."

"They pass peaceful lives who ignore mine and thine."

"No one knows what he can do till he tries."

"It takes a long time to bring excellence to maturity."

"God looks at the clean hands, not the full ones."

"We should provide in peace what we need in war."

"It is a very hard undertaking to seek to please everybody."

"Be your money's master, not its slave."

"Money alone sets all the world in motion."

"Every day should be passed as if it were to be our last."

"He is a despicable sage whose wisdom does not profit himself."

"No man is happy who does not think himself so."

"Don't turn back when you are just at the goal."

"It is only the ignorant who despise education."

"Quod vult habet, qui cupere quod sat est potest."

"Nothing can be done at once hastily and prudently."

"No one should be judge in his own cause."

"Never promise more than you can perform."

"Saxum volutum non obducitur musco"

"The fear of death is more to be dreaded than death itself."

"Never find your delight in another's misfortune."

"He who is bent on doing evil can never want occasion."

"A noble spirit finds a cure for injustice in forgetting it."