I describe not men, but manners; not an individual, but a species.

Handsome is that handsome does.

Now in reality, the world has paid too great a compliment to critics, and has imagined them to be men of much greater profundity than they really are.

It is an error common to many to take the character of mankind from the worst and basest amongst them; whereas, as an excellent writer has observed, nothing should be esteemed as characteristical, of a species but what is to be found amongst the best and the most perfect individuals of that species.

As a conquered rebellion strengthens a government, or as health is more perfectly established by recovery from some diseases; so anger, when removed, often gives new life to affection.

The woman and the soldier who do not defend the first pass will never defend the last.

There 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.