Habit hath so vast a prevalence over the human mind that there is scarce anything too strange or too strong to be asserted of it. The story of the miser who, from long accustoming to cheat others, came at last to cheat himself, and with great delight and triumph picked his own pocket of a guinea to convey to his hoard, is not impossible or improbable.
Henry FieldingThe man who is wantonly profuse of his promises ought to sink his credit as much as a tradesman would by uttering a great number of promissory notes payable at a distant day. The truest conclusion in both cases is, that neither intend or will be able to pay. And as the latter most probably intends to cheat you of your money, so the former at least designs to cheat you of your thanks.
Henry FieldingTea! The panacea for everything from weariness to a cold to a murder Love and scandal are the best sweeteners of tea.
Henry FieldingFashion is the science of appearance, and it inspires one with the desire to seem rather than to be.
Henry FieldingWhat is commonly called love, namely the desire of satisfying a voracious appetite with a certain quantity of delicate white human flesh.
Henry FieldingThere 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.
Henry FieldingAs it is the nature of a kite to devour little birds, so it is the nature of some minds to insult and tyrannize over little people; this being the means which they use to recompense themselves for their extreme servility and condescension to their superiors; for nothing can be more reasonable than that slaves and flatterers should exact the same taxes on all below them which they themselves pay to all above them.
Henry Fielding