“ The wheel of fortune is as steady in its revolutions as a mill-wheel, and although Cupid may smile at the top to-day, to-morrow, in spite of his wings, he may be crushed beneath it.
In the garden of the world the soul is like a flower, and the dew for this flower is hope. ”

“ The sweetest music for a quiet conscience is the birds’ notes, tuned to the key of nature, by the hand of the great musician—God!
The pains of the mind often afflict the body, more than the pains of the body. ”

“ Where is the mortal, who, in traversing the vale of life, has not found sharp thorns among the roses.
In the depth of the heart lie sorrows some of which are known to mortals, but many of which are only known to God. ”

“ So slow is the march of laziness along the road of human existence, and so squalid, and so feeble is it, that it is soon overtaken by poverty.
Do not admire mere beauty, for time will soon destroy it, but rather admire beautiful acts. A beautiful deed is within the reach of all. ”

“ Be not always severe, nor always merciful, choose a mean between the two extremes, for that middle point is the centre of discretion.
It is impossible to love two at the same time. Can one light illumine two distant rooms simultaneously? ”

“ There are women more fortunate and less constant, than some of their admirers would like them to be.
Be cautious of so called friends. If all is happiness around you, you will have them by hundreds, but when fortune deserts you, they will make off with the roses, leaving you only the thorns. ”

“ To fatalism an evil is always great, and its remedy is always concealed. The eyes of a fatalist are magnifying-glasses which increase the size of every object.
Jealousy is only suspicion. Beware how you mingle appearances and realities.
The heart incapable of gratitude is also incapable of loving. ”

“ Notable actions are like the shadows of the individuals who perform them; the greater they are, the further the shadow is cast.{15}
«Do not strive to hide your poverty, nor that of your family. When once it is understood that you are not ashamed of it, no one will try to make you blush over it.» ”

“ Whoever undertakes a long journey, if he be wise, makes it his business to find a good and agreeable companion.{45}
Success is like a great rock up which you can only climb with great difficulty, and from which it is very easy, and also very dangerous, to fall. ”

“ In every house there should exist a book, wherein would be written: «In the business of others, never meddle.»
Life is not altogether bad, even the strongest glare of day, is toned down every twenty-four hours, by twilight. ”

“ Diligence is the mother of good fortune.
God created man, and the world has been pleased to prefix the adjective gentle. We do not honor the man whom the world styles gentleman, but him, who by his merit, earns the adjective. ”

“ There is no true love where there is no true esteem.{16}
To doubt in silence, is better than to contradict too readily.
Spirit is always above matter, as ether always evaporates from a material surface. ”

“ Distrust those who flame suddenly with enthusiasm. The hotter the frying-pan, the sooner melts the butter.{14}
Work is something given directly from God, and it redeems the world.
Merit does much, but fortune often has a share in the bargain.
Much harm would arise if all the world believed in the Latin proverb; «Audaces fortuna juvat.»
There is no such thing as a modest highwayman; neither does any honest fellow like to make himself too visible. ”

“ A wise man once said that absence produces forgetfulness. He doubtless referred to men, for, being a wise man, he could not ignore this—that a woman’s soul is like a torch which once set burning is not easily extinguished. ”

“ Talents are the best of all kinds of riches, for they can be imparted without harming them. The sharing of them doubles their value.
Perfect women are angels, and of course adorable. Of the imperfect ones there are two kinds, those who have hearts, but who would not make charming wives; and those who are very charming in some respects, but who have no heart, no heart.{58}
You want him to forsake you, but he never will. Those who are good, preaches our pastor, cannot forget for a moment the being they worship. ”

“ There are many who agree with the squire, that a fat trouble is better than a lean one.{26}
Say no when necessary, and ay when pertinent. One word has no more letters in it than the other.
To suffer for the sake of peace the heavy chain of unlucky union, may be honorable, virtuous and grand; but is not always advisable.
A place is great—as for instance Madrid—when, since childhood, have prayed in its temples men like Lope de Vega, Calderon and Cervantes; when it has given to science many noble names, and to independence many brave martyrs. ”

“ To gain a heart when your sentiments have not been abused, be affable, courteous and reasonable. When your feelings have been cruelly and purposely wounded, forgive if you can, but keep your dignity and remember pertinently.{60}
Because a man is of a splendid and generous disposition, those persons benefitted by him must not believe themselves less bound to feel, and prove, and show their gratitude. ”

“ Most popular aphorisms or sayings, are a history of the people, condensed by their hearts.
The Spaniards always say: «A thing is never properly valued until it is lost forever.»{36}
To acquire a good name is difficult, but it is still more difficult to retain. The young should acquire; the old should retain. ”

“ Faithfulness is a rare coin. To convert it into serviceable currency you must exchange it. Plain truth is another coin, also very rare, and there are persons who have used it so little that they are totally ignorant of its great value. ”

“ Though ignorance may be defined as the absence of intellectual light, and though Luna is the lady of darkness, no blockhead (or stupid) has ever become a lunatic.
She who loves to see, loves also to be seen. ”

“ No one can exactly know the sorrow of another, for no one can tell exactly where and when your boot hurts your foot.
Idleness appears at first to be a friend, but soon ends by becoming a tyrant.
He who has made one basket can make a hundred. ”

“ When one gives to make happy, and the other receives in the same spirit, both are equally kind and generous. But when the gift is made, as is too often the case, from a bad motive, and when the recipient knows or suspects it, it would be difficult to say which of the two is the inferior. ”

“ Always spread your sail in time to catch a favoring breeze.
You can keep anything but a woman against her will.
Often the happiness of a person depends upon his tongue.
All knowledge is profitable if we know how to use it well. ”

“ It is better to overdo than underdo a thing.
Nothing, as Lafuente-Alcàntara says, is more interesting to the philosopher and moralist, than the lives, habits, passions and beliefs of what some call «the populace.» ”

“ Generosity never exists in the beggarly heart, though it often exists in the beggar’s heart.
By an evil tongue more persons are injured than by the greatest accident. An accident may occasionally injure many individuals, but an evil tongue injures constantly. ”

“ A hen or a woman are lost by rambling.
Do not always believe in the letters or souvenirs of an absent lover. To you are the written, to others the spoken words, and some day you may have to learn the difference between words and actions. ”

“ It is not prudent to attempt an exploit so dangerous, that we only escape from it through a miracle.
Do not measure a man by inches. A small man may be a giant in fame and knowledge.
Fortune sometimes directs our affairs better than we could have dared to wish. ”

“ How cautious should be the man who is selecting a fellow traveller, who is to journey through life with him, and part from him only at the grave; and who is to share all the fatigues and pleasures of the voyage, as the wife does with the husband, and the husband does with the wife.
The goddess called Fortune is a whimsical queen, she is also blind, so that she neither sees what she does, knows whom she raises, nor whom she casts down.
The one who strikes first has generally a better chance to strike twice.{25}
Ignorance if earnest will overcome errors. ”

“ Show yourself too kind or confer at once too many benefits, and, if you are dealing with an insensible person, you will soon and certainly be underrated and abused.
All things in the world have their uses ”

“ Those who go to pray do not feel cold, they are heated by the rays of faith and love.{50}
The God, who neglects not the birds of the air, nor the fish of the sea, will provide for his children.
Business should never sleep with you.
One man is no better than another, only in as much as he does more than another.
There are men, hints Cervantes, who think they must be masters, and that women were born only to wear the clog of obedience. ”

“ They say that love is confusion, but seeing so many thus confused, it is to be inferred that the confusing moral consequence of this confusion must be very sweet.
One day of a wise man’s life is more valuable than the entire life time of a fool. ”

“ If any one does or says a thing which you condemn, show your disapproval at once, for it is better to turn pale once, than to blush twice. And if the offender is an intimate acquaintance, speak plainly, for between friends straight accounts are desirable. ”

“ Almost every man may thank himself for his own bad luck.
When two good persons meet, their souls become identified, felicity is not a dream, and individual liberty or personal independence is not necessary. ”

“ In all languages we learn, what experience has taught all people, that a dog that barks will not bite.{10}
In running swiftly up a hill, a certain individual fell and broke his neck. His fate is a lesson. In following the promptings of ambition, too recklessly, we often lose all. ”

“ The wise man will speedily rectify an error; but when was an ignorant one ever known to acknowledge a blunder?
You may be unfortunate and still keep your dignity. It is equally possible to be poor but envied, and, seemingly, unhappy but really very happy. ”

“ «It is a common adage, fair lady, that diligence is the mother of success.»
The highest poetical sentiments are found in the people, and in that part of the people who are called ignorant and uncultivated, who cannot express their thoughts with as much elegance as sincerity ”

“ From a beautiful pink blooming in a charming garden, the asp will extract poison, while the industrious bee gather honey.{69}
He strengthens himself who besides carrying his own duties and burdens takes upon himself as many of the burdens of his friends as he can support. ”

“ A confiding woman, when she loves a man, clings as closely to him as an ivy vine, and deserves as firm and trust worthy a support.{24}
Your father was poor, but honest. Try to be richer than he, but be equally honest. ”

“ It is foolish to make a sensible person suffer for the folly of a fool.
A rule for happiness: never go to bed without feeling sure you have performed at least one act of kindness during the day.{12}
The deafest man is he who does not wish to hear. ”

“ If sighs coming from one, and those going from another could meet and speak, how many sympathetic things they would have to tell each other.
The virtues, as well as the faults of others are often magnified by reason of malice and envy.
Man is a traveller ”