This avidity alone, of acquiring goods and possessions for ourselves and our nearest friends, is insatiable, perpetual, universal, and directly destructive of society.

Belief is nothing but a more vivid, lively, forcible, firm, steady conception of an object, than what the imagination alone is ever able to attain.

Beauty in things exists in the mind which contemplates them.

Beauty, whether moral or natural, is felt, more properly than perceived.

Accuracy is, in every case, advantageous to beauty, and just reasoning to delicate sentiment. In vain would we exalt the one by depreciating the other.

The corruption of the best things gives rise to the worst.

Nothing endears so much a friend as sorrow for his death. The pleasure of his company has not so powerful an influence.

A purpose, an intention, a design, strikes everywhere even the careless, the most stupid thinker.

There is not to be found, in all history, any miracle attested by a sufficient number of men, of such unquestioned good sense, education and learning, as to secure us against all delusion in themselves.

A propensity to hope and joy is real riches one to fear and sorrow real poverty.