Philanthropy is almost the only virtue which is sufficiently ( Read more... )

The greater part of what my neighbors call good I believe in my soul to be bad, and if I repent of anything, it is very likely to be my good behavior. What demon possessed me that I behaved so well?

In most books, the I, or first person, is omitted; in this it will be retained. I should not talk so much about myself if there were anybody else whom I knew as well. Unfortunately, I am confined to this theme of self by the narrowness of my experience. Moreover, I require of every writer a simple and sincere account of his own life, and not ( Read more... )