In families well ordered, there is always one firm, sweet temper, which controls without seeming to dictate. The Greeks represented Persuasion as crowned.

The bold sympathize with the bold; and in great hearts, there is always a certain friendship for a gallant foe.

Love is a very contradiction of all the elements of our ordinary nature -- it makes the proud man meek -- the cheerful, sad -- the high-spirited, tame; our strongest resolutions, our hardiest energy fail before it. Believe me, you cannot prophesy of its future effect in a man from any knowledge of his past character.

Never get a reputation for a small perfection if you are trying for fame in a loftier area. The world can only judge by generals, and it sees that those who pay considerable attention to minutiae seldom have their minds occupied with great things.

The higher the rank the less pretence, because there is less to pretend to.

Poverty is relative, and, therefor not ignoble.

Power is so characteristically calm, that calmness in itself has the aspect of strength.