There is not in the universe a more ridiculous, nor a more contemptible animal, than a proud clergyman.
We endeavor to conceal our vices under the disguise of the opposite virtues.
Perhaps the summary of good-breeding may be reduced to this rule. “Behave unto all men as you would they should behave unto you.” This will most certainly oblige us to treat all mankind with the utmost civility and respect, there being nothing that we desire more than to be treated so by them.
Good-humor will even go so far as often to supply the lack of wit.
What was said by the Latin poet of labor – that it conquers all things – is much more true when applied to impudence.
Nothing more aggravates ill success than the near approach of good.
The highest friendship must always lead us to the highest pleasure.
Fear hath the common fault of a justice of peace, and is apt to conclude hastily from every slight circumstance, without examining the evidence on both sides.
The exceptions of the scrupulous put one in mind of some general pardons where everything is forgiven except crimes.
The life of a coquette is one constant lie; and the only rule by which you can form any correct judgment of them is that they are never what they seem.
A broken heart is a distemper which kills many more than is generally imagined, and would have a fair title to a place in the bills of mortality, did it not differ in one instance from all other diseases, namely, that no physicians can cure it.
Thirst teaches all animals to drink, but drunkenness belongs only to man.
Dignity and love were never yet boon companions.
There are those who never reason on what they should do, but what they have done; as if Reason had her eyes behind, and could only see backwards.
The prudence of the best heads is often defeated by tenderness of the best hearts.
Now in reality, the world has paid too great a compliment to critics, and has imagined them to be men of much greater profundity than they really are.
A good face they say, is a letter of recommendation. O Nature, Nature, why art thou so dishonest, as ever to send men with these false recommendations into the World!
Wit, like hunger, will be with great difficulty restrained from falling on vice and ignorance, where there is great plenty and variety of food.
To the generality of men you cannot give a stronger hint for them to impose upon you than by imposing upon yourself.
Some general officers should pay a stricter regard to truth than to call the depopulating other countries the service of their own.