A man may have intelligence enough to excel in a particular thing and lecture on it, and yet not have sense enough to know he ought to be silent on some other subject of which he has but a slight knowledge; if such an illustrious man ventures beyond the bounds of his capacity, he loses his way and talks like a fool.

Women are extreme; they are better than men, or worse.

The shortest and best way to make your fortune is to let people see clearly that it is in their interest to promote yours.

When we are dead we are praised by those who survive us, though we frequently have no other merit than that of being no longer alive.

False modesty is the masterpiece of vanity: showing the vain man in such an illusory light that he appears in the reputation of the virtue quite opposite to the vice which constitutes his real character; it is a deceit.

We are valued in this world at the rate we desire to be valued.

Friendship * * * is a long time in forming, it is of slow growth, through many trials and months of familiarity.