I often wish for the end of the wretched remnant of my life; and that wish is a rational one; but then the innate principle of self-preservation, wisely implanted in our natures, for obvious purposes, opposes that wish, and makes us endeavour to spin out our thread as long as we can, however decayed and rotten it may be.

Real merit of any kind cannot long be concealed; it will be discovered, and nothing can depreciate it but a man exhibiting it himself. It may not always be rewarded as it ought; but it will always be known.

When a man is once in fashion, all he does is right.

A man of fashion never has recourse to proverbs, and vulgar aphorisms; uses neither favourite words nor hard words, but takes great care to speak very correctly and grammatically, and to pronounce properly; that is, according to the usage of the best companies.

Very ugly or very beautiful women should be flattered on their understanding, and mediocre ones on their beauty.

We are really so prejudiced by our educations, that, as the ancients deified their heroes, we deify their madmen.

The world is a country which nobody ever yet knew by description; one must travel through it one's self to be acquainted with it.