Giving comfort under affliction requires that penetration into the human mind, joined to that experience which knows how to soothe, how to reason, and how to ridicule; taking the utmost care never to apply those arts improperly.

It is a good maxim to trust a person entirely or not at all.

Beauty may be the object of liking--great qualities of admiration--good ones of esteem--but love only is the object of love.

It is well known to all great men, that by conferring an obligation they do not always procure a friend, but are certain of creating many enemies.

It is much easier to make good men wise, than to make bad men good.

However exquisitely human nature may have been described by writers, the true practical system can be learned only in the world.

There is scarcely any man, how much soever he may despise the character of a flatterer, but will condescend in the meanest manner to flatter himself.