There is no belittling worse than to over praise a man.

Human life has not a surer friend, nor oftentimes a greater enemy, than hope. It is the miserable man's god, which in the hardest gripe of calamity never fails to yield to him beams of comfort. It is the presumptuous man's devil, which leads him a while in a smooth way, and then suddenly breaks his neck.

That man is but of the lower part of the world that is not brought up to business and affairs.

Irresolution is a worse vice than rashness. He that shoots best may sometimes miss the mark; but he that shoots not at all can never hit it. Irresolution loosens all the joints of a state; like an ague, it shakes not this nor that limb, but all the body is at once in a fit. The irresolute man is lifted from one place to another; so hatcheth nothing, but addles all his actions.

The boundary of man is moderation. When once we pass that pale our guardian angel quits his charge of us.

Every man should study conciseness in speaking; it is a sign of ignorance not to know that long speeches, though they may please the speaker, are the torture of the hearer.

Pleasures can undo a man at any time, if yielded to.

It is rare to see a rich man religious; for religion preaches restraint, and riches prompt to unlicensed freedom.

The irresolute man flecks from one egg to another, so hatches nothing.