The fact that an opinion has been widely held is no evidence whatever that it is not utterly absurd; indeed in view of the silliness of the majority of mankind, a widespread belief is more likely to be foolish than sensible.
Thomas Jefferson once said, 'We should never judge a president by his age, only by his works.' And ever since he told me that, I stopped worrying.
There is no stigma attached to recognizing a bad decision in time to install a better one.
When you have got an elephant by the hind leg, and he is trying to run away, it's best to let him run.
By all means marry; if you get a good wife, you'll be happy. If you get a bad one, you'll become a philosopher.
What more felicity can fall to creature, than to enjoy delight with liberty.
The radical of one century is the conservative of the next. The radical invents the views. When he has worn them out the conservative adopts them.