The Law Cannot Equalize Mankind In Spite

Action Makes More Fortune Than Caution.

As Soon As An Opinion Becomes Common It Is Sufficient Reason For Men To Abandon It And To Uphold The Opposite Opinion Until That In Its Turn Grows Old, And They Require To Distinguish Themselves By Other Things. Thus If They Attain Their Goal In Some Art Or Science, We Must Expect Them Soon To Cast It Aside To Acquire Some Fresh Fame, And This Is Partly The Reason Why The Most Splendid Ages Degenerate So Quickly, And, Scarcely Emerged From Barbarism, Plunge Into It Again.

And Where, On Earth, Dwell Hope And Truth? In Childhood's Uncorrupted Heart; Alas! Too Soon To Guileless Youth The World Doth Its Dark Code Impart!

The Maxim That Men Are Not To Be Praised Before Their Death Was Invented By Envy And Too Lightly Adopted By Philosophers. I, On The Contrary, Maintain That They Ought To Be Praised In Their Lifetime If They Merit It; But Jealousy And Calumny, Roused Against Their Virtue Or Their Talent, Labour To Degrade Them If Any One Ventures To Bear Testimony To Them. It Is Unjust Criticism That They Should Fear To Hazard, Not Sincere Praise.

It Is Difficult To Esteem A Man As Highly As He Would Wish.