Some indeed there are who profess to despise all flattery, but even these are nevertheless to be flattered, by being told that they do despise it.

If you cannot inspire a woman with love of you, fill her above the brim with love of herself; all that runs over will be yours.

Sloth, if it has prevented many crimes, has also smothered many virtues.

We must be careful how we flatter fools too little, or wise men too much, for the flatterer must act the very reverse of the physician, and administer the strongest dose only to the weakest patient.

Life often presents us with a choice of evils, rather than of goods.

I have found by experience that they who have spent all their lives in cities, improve their talents but impair their virtues; and strengthen their minds but weaken their morals.

He that knows himself, knows others; and he that is ignorant of himself, could not write a very profound lecture on other men's heads.