You may tell a man thou art a fiend, but not your nose wants blowing; to him alone who can bear a thing of that kind, you may tell all.

To know yourself you have only to set down a true statement of those that ever loved or hated you.

The prudent see only the difficulties, the bold only the advantages, of a great enterprise; the hero sees both; diminishes the former and makes the latter preponderate, and so conquers.

He who, when called upon to speak a disagreeable truth, tells it boldly and has done is both bolder and milder than he who nibbles in a low voice and never ceases nibbling.

The procrastinator is not only indolent and weak, but commonly, false, too; most of the weak are false.

If you wish to appear agreeable in society, you must consent to be taught many things which you already know.

In the society of ladies, want of sense is not so unpardonable as want of manners.