Learning is acquired by reading books; much more necessary learning, the knowledge of the world, is only to be acquired by reading men, and studying all the various editions of them.

Ugliness is a letter of credit for some special purposes.

Silence and reserve suggest latent power. What some men think has more effect than what others say.

Man is more himself, man is more manlike, when joy is the fundamental thing in him, and grief the superficial.

One should always think of what one is about; when one is learning, one should not think of play; and when one is at play, one should not think of learning.

You must be respectful and assenting, but without being servile and abject. You must be frank, but without indiscretion, and close, without being costive. You must keep up dignity of character, without the least pride of birth, or rank. You must be gay, within all the bounds of decency and respect; and grave, without the affectation of wisdom, which does not become the age of twenty. You must be essentially secret, without being dark and mysterious. You must be firm, and even bold, but with great seeming modesty.

If you can once engage people's pride, love, pity, ambition on your side, you need not fear what their reason can do against you.