The great gift of conversation lies less in displaying it ourselves than in drawing it out of others. He who leaves your company pleased with himself and his own cleverness is perfectly well pleased with you.

I take sanctuary in an honest mediocrity.

The most exquisite pleasure is giving pleasure to others.

A man of moderate Understanding, thinks he writes divinely: A man of good Understanding, thinks he writes reasonably.

When we are young we lay up for old age; when we are old we save for death.

The pleasure we feel in criticizing robs us from being moved by very beautiful things.

Even the best intentioned of great men need a few scoundrels around them; there are some things you cannot ask an honest ma to do.