Quote collection
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"I have so much faith in the general government of the world by Providence that I can hardly conceive a transaction of such momentous importance [as the framing of the Constitution] ... should be suffered to pass without being in some degree influenced, guided, and governed by that omnipotent, omnipresent, and beneficent Ruler in whom all inferior spirits live and move and have their being."
"Search others for their virtues, thyself for thy vices."
"Families ought to be noisy."
"Rarely use Venery but for Health or Offspring; Never to Dulness, Weakness, or the Injury of your own or another's Peace or Reputation."
"The honest Man takes Pains, and then enjoys Pleasures; the knave takes Pleasure, and then suffers Pains."
"Do not do that which you would not have known."
"Read much, but not too many books."
"In reality, there is, perhaps, no one of our natural passions so hard to subdue as pride. Disguise it, struggle with it, beat it down, stifle it, mortify it as much as one pleases, it is still alive, and will every now and then peep out and show itself; you will see it, perhaps, often in this history; for, even if I could conceive that I had completely overcome it, I should probably be proud of my humility."
"Would you live with ease, Do what you ought, and not what you please."
"If you wou'd have Guests merry with your cheer, Be so your self, or so at least appear."
"Hear reason, or she'll make you feel her."
"Be not sick too late, nor well too soon"
"Avarice and Happiness never saw each other, how then should they become acquainted?"
"Be sober and temperate, and you will be healthy."
"For Age and Want save while you may; No morning Sun lasts a whole day."
"To be thrown upon one's own resources, is to be cast in the very lap of fortune."
"Opportunity is the great bawd."
"Did not strong connections draw me elsewhere, I believe Scotland would be the country I would choose to end my days in."
"A man is sometimes more generous when he has but a little money than when he has plenty, perhaps through fear of being thought to have but little."
"Hot things, sharp things, sweet things, cold things All rot the teeth, and make them look like old things."