"Some men are called sagacious, merely on account of their avarice: whereas a child can clench its fist the moment it is born."

“A man of remarkable genius may afford to pass by a piece of wit, if it happens to border on abuse. A little genius is obliged to catch at every witticism indiscriminately.”

“Zealous men are ever displaying to you the strength of their belief, while judicious men are shewing you the grounds of it.”

“Essay, William Shenstone and the Leasowes: the English Landscape Garden in Transition, c.1740-1763”

“Prudent men should lock up their motives, giving only their intimates a key.”

“While we labour to subdue our passions, we should take care not to extinguish them. Subduing our passions, is disengaging ourselves from the world; to which however, Whilst we reside in it, we must always bear relation; and we may detach ourselves to such a degree as to pass an useless and insipid life, which we were not meant to do. Our existence here is at least one part of a system.”

“A man has generally the good or ill qualities which he attributes to mankind.”