The greatest deception men suffer is from their own opinions.
Whenever a wise man notices himself deviating from the path of righteousness in thought, word or deed, he should immediately withdraw himself from that misdeed like a horse controlled by tightened reigns.
When a sinful deed is committees intentionally or unintentionally, one should immediately desist from that with a resolve not to repeat it.
Truth must be seasoned to make it palatable.
Money is more eloquent than a dozen members of parliament.
Many a man labors for the day he will never live to see.
Many a man is a good friend but a bad neighbor.
Better to ask twice than to lose your way once.
You can’t take a cow from a man that has none.
The highest possible stage in moral culture is when we recognize that we ought to control our thoughts.
Never be haughty to the humble; never be humble to the haughty.
Painting is easy when you don’t know how, but very difficult when you do.
It is beautiful to impede an unjust man; but, if this is not possible, it is beautiful not to act in conjunction with him.
It is hard to be governed by these who are worse than ourselves.
A worthy and an unworthy man are to be judged not from their actions only, but also from their will.
When about to bestow a favor, previously consider him who is to receive it, lest being a fraudulent character he should return evil for good.
Since we are men, it is becoming, not to deride, but bewail, the calamities of men.
Religion should be the rule of life, not a causal incident to it.
Nurture your mind with great thoughts. To believe in the heroic makes heroes.
Beware of endeavoring to become a great man in a hurry. One such attempt in ten thousand may succeed. These are fearful odds.
If you limit your actions in life to things that nobody can possibly find fault with, you will not do much.
A rainbow would be considered even more beautiful if it wasn’t free.
This world’s current nature is to celebrate the dead saints and persecute the living ones.
It’s not the load that kills—it’s the excessive load.
As those who believe in the visibility of ghosts can easily see them, so it is always easy to see repulsive qualities in those we despise and hate.
I prefer to be true to myself, even at the hazard of incurring the ridicule of others, rather than to be false and to incur my own abhorrence.
Find out just what the people will submit to and you have found out the exact amount of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them.
Liberty is meaningless where the right to utter one’s thoughts and opinions has ceased to exist. That, of all rights, is the dread of tyrants. It is the right which they first of all strike down.
[On escaping slavery:] I prayed for twenty years but received no answer until I prayed with my legs.
The ideal never comes. Today is ideal for him who would make it so.
Efficiency is intelligent laziness.
History is so indifferently rich, that a case for almost any conclusion from it can be made by a selection of instances. (The Lessons of History)
He who is outside his door already has a major part of his journey behind him.
Wise people can’t answer the most foolish questions.
Who undertakes many things at once, seldom does any of them well.
Milk the cow, but don’t pull off the udder.
Skill and assurance are an invincible combination/couple.
A praying pirate is definitely a sign of danger.