Montesquieu well knew, and justly admired, the happy constitution of this country [Great Britain], where fixed and known laws equally restrain monarchy from tyranny and liberty from licentiousness.

Ties of blood are not always ties of friendship; but friendship founded on merit, on esteem, and on mutual trust, becomes more vital and more tender when strengthened by the ties of blood.

Modesty is the only sure bait when you angle for praise.

The manner of a vulgar man has freedom without ease, and the manner of a gentleman has ease without freedom.

You must be respectable, if you will be respected.

Nature has hardly formed a woman ugly enough to be insensible to flattery upon her person.

Whatever you do, do it to the purpose; do it thoroughly, not superficially. Go to the bottom of things. Any thing half done, or half known, is in my mind, neither done nor known at all. Nay, worse, for it often misleads.