Knowledge of the world in only to be acquired in the world, and not in a closet.

If a marriage is going to work well, it must be on a solid footing, namely money, and of that commodity it is the girl with the smallest dowry who, to my knowledge, consumes the most, to infuriate her husband. All the same, it is only fair that the marriage should pay for past pleasures, since it will scarcely procure any in the future.

Letters should be easy and natural, and convey to the persons to whom we send them just what we should say to the persons if we were with them.

The most familiar and intimate habitudes, connections, friendships, require a degree of good-breeding both to preserve and cement them.

Let your enemies be disarmed by the gentleness of your manner, but let them feel at the same time the steadiness of your just resentment for there is a great difference between bearing malice, which is always ungenerous, and a resolute self-defense which is ever prudent and justifiable.

I wish... that you had as much pleasure in following my advice, as I have in giving it.

I assisted at the birth of that most significant word "flirtation," which dropped from the most beautiful mouth in the world.