I firmly believe, notwithstanding all our complaints, that almost every person upon earth tastes upon the totality more happiness than misery.

The curse of modern times is, that almost everything does create controversy.

When the Prince of Wales [later King George IV] and the Duke of York went to visit their brother Prince William [later William IV]at Plymouth, and all three being very loose in their manners, and coarse in their language, Prince William said to his ship's crew, "now I hope you see that I am not the greatest blackguard of my family.

When Shakespeare copied chroniclers verbatim, it was because he knew they were good enough for his audiences. In a more polished age he who could so move our passions, could surely have performed the easier task of satisfying our taste.

I shun authors, and would never have been one myself, if it obliged me to keep such bad company.

Poetry is a beautiful way of spoiling prose, and the laborious art of exchanging plain sense for harmony.

I have known men of valor cowards to their wives.