63 quotes
Folly is often more cruel in the consequence, than malice can be in the intent.
Political, Moral, and Miscellaneous Reflections (1750)
A Prince who will not undergo the Difficulty of Understanding, must undergo the Danger of Trusting.
Political, Moral, and Miscellaneous Reflections (1750)
Money hath too great a Preference given to it by States, as well as by particular Men.
Political, Moral, and Miscellaneous Reflections (1750)
If Men would think how often their own Words are thrown at their Heads, they would less often let them go out of their Mouths.
Political, Moral, and Miscellaneous Reflections (1750)
Nothing hath an uglier Look to us than Reason, when it is not of our side.
Political, Moral, and Miscellaneous Reflections (1750)
A Man may dwell so long upon a Thought, that it may take him Prisoner.
Political, Moral, and Miscellaneous Reflections (1750)
The best Qualification of a Prophet is to have a good Memory.
Political, Moral, and Miscellaneous Reflections (1750)
Half the Truth is often as arrant a Lye, as can be made.
Political, Moral, and Miscellaneous Reflections (1750)
When by habit a man cometh to have a bargaining soul, its wings are cut, so that it can never soar. It bindeth reason an apprentice to gain, and instead of a director, maketh it a drudge.
Political, Moral, and Miscellaneous Reflections (1750)
A Little Learning misleadeth, and a great deal often stupifieth the Understanding.
Political, Moral, and Miscellaneous Reflections (1750)
There is Reason to think the most celebrated Philosophers would have been Bunglers at Business ; but the Reason is because they despised it.
Political, Moral, and Miscellaneous Reflections (1750)
Suspicion seldom wanteth Food to keep it up in Health and Vigour. It feedeth upon every thing it seeth, and is not curious in its Diet.
Political, Moral, and Miscellaneous Reflections (1750)
Every single Act either weakeneth or improveth our Credit with other Men ; and as an habit of being just to our Word will confirm, so an habit of too freely dispensing with it must necessarily destroy it.
The Anatomy of an Equivalent (1688)
It is not a reproach but a compliment to learning, to say, that great scholars are less fit for business; since the truth is, business is so much a lower thing than learning, that a man used to the last cannot easily bring his stomach down to the first.
Political, Moral, and Miscellaneous Reflections (1750)
Some Mens Memory is like a Box, where a Man should mingle his Jewels with his old Shoes.
Political, Moral, and Miscellaneous Reflections (1750)
Love is a Passion that hath Friends in the Garrison.
The Lady's New Year's Gift: or Advice to a Daughter (1688)
A Princely Mind will undo a private Family.
The Lady's New Year's Gift: or Advice to a Daughter (1688)
A Husband without Faults is a dangerous Observer.
The Lady's New Year's Gift: or Advice to a Daughter (1688)
No Man is so much a Fool as not to have Wit enough sometimes to be a Knave ; nor any so cunning a Knave, as not to have the Weakness sometimes to play the Fool.
Political, Moral, and Miscellaneous Reflections (1750)
Hope is generally a wrong Guide, though it is very good Company by the way. It brusheth through Hedge and Ditch till it cometh to a great Leap, and there it is apt to fall and break its Bones.
Political, Moral, and Miscellaneous Reflections (1750)