All I desire for my own burial, is not to be buried alive; but how or where, I think, must be entirely indifferent to every rational creature.

I recommend you to take care of the minutes, for the hours will take care of themselves.

A young fellow ought to be wiser than he should seem to be; and an old fellow ought to seem wise whether he really be so or not.

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.

You should not only have attention to everything, but a quickness of attention, so as to observe at once all the people in the room--their motions, their looks and their words--and yet without staring at them and seeming to be an observer.

The best way to compel weak-minded people to adopt our opinion, is to frighten them from all others, by magnifying their danger.

A joker is near akin to a buffoon; and neither of them is the least related to wit.