The origin of all science is the desire to know causes, and the origin of all false science and imposture is the desire to accept false causes rather than none, or, which is the same thing, in the unwillingness to acknowledge our own ignorance. |
The perfect joys of heaven do not satisfy the cravings of nature. |
The person whose doors I enter with most pleasure, and quit with most regret, never did me the smallest favor. |
The player envies only the player, the poet envies only the poet. |
The poetical impression of any object is that uneasy, exquisite sense of beauty or power that cannot be contained within itself; that is impatient of all limit; that (as flame bends to flame) strives to link itself to some other image of kindred beau |
The power rests with the multitude, but let them beware how the exercise of it turns against their own rights! It is not the idol but the worshippers that are to be dreaded, and who, by degrading one of their fellows, render themselves liable to be branded with the same indignities. |
The public have neither shame nor gratitude |
The public is so in awe of its own opinion that it never dares to form any, but catches up the first idle rumour, lest it should be behindhand in its judgment, and echoes it till it is deafened with the sound of its own voice |
The seat of knowledge is in the head; of wisdom, in the heart. We are sure to judge wrong, if we do not feel right. |
The silence of a friend commonly amounts to treachery. His not daring to say anything in our behalf implies a tacit censure. |
The slaves of power mind the cause they have to serve, because their own interest is concerned; but the friends of liberty always sacrifice their cause, which is only the cause of humanity, to their own spleen, vanity, and self-opinion. |
The soul of a journey is liberty, perfect liberty, to think, feel, do just as one pleases |
The soul of conversation is sympathy. |
The thing is plain. All that men really understand, is confined to a very small compass; to their daily affairs and experience; to what they have an opportunity to know, and motives to study or practice. The rest is affectation and imposture. |
The true barbarian is he who thinks everything barbarous but his own tastes and prejudices. |