“The great difference is, that the first knows how to pick and cull his thoughts for conversation, by suppressing some, and communicating others; whereas the other lets them all indifferently fly out in words.”

Whether this happens because they stay so long and attend their work so diligently that they forget the faces and persons, which they first sat down with, or whatever it is, they seldom rise from the toilet the same woman they appeared when they began to dress

Cheerfulness is the best promoter of health and is as friendly to the mind as to the body.

Antidotes are what you take to prevent dotes.

I reflect with sorrow and astonishment on the little competitions, factions, and debates of mankind.

Love is a second life; it grows into the soul, warms every vein, and beats in every pulse.

Temperance gives nature her full play, and enables her to exert herself in all her force and vigor.

Courage is the thing. All goes if courage goes.

When men are easy in their circumstances, they are naturally enemies to innovations.

The friendships of the world are oft confederacies in vice, or leagues of pleasures.

All well-regulated families set apart an hour every morning for tea and bread and butter

A solid and substantial greatness of soul looks down with neglect on the censures and applauses of the multitude.

Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.

What an absurd thing it is to pass over all the valuable parts of a man, and fix our attention on his infirmities.

A good character, good habits and iron industry are impregnable to the assaults of all ill-luck that fools ever dreamed.

It is ridiculous for any man to criticize on the works of another, who has not distinguished himself by his own performances.

To this end, nothing is to be more carefully consulted than plainness. In a lady’s attire this is the single excellence; for to be what some people call fine, is the same vice, in that case, as to be florid is in writing or speaking.