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.

Absolute power can only be supported by error, ignorance and prejudice.

Fear invites danger; concealed cowards insult known ones.

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.

Women who are either indisputably beautiful, or indisputably ugly, are best flattered upon the score of their understandings; but those who are in a state of mediocrity are best flattered upon their beauty, or at least their graces; for every woman who is not absolutely ugly thinks herself handsome.

I have been too long acquainted with human nature to have great regard for human testimony; and a very great degree of probability, supported by various concurrent circumstances, conspiring in one point, will have much greater weight with me, than human testimony upon oath, or even upon honour; both of which I have frequently seen considerably warped by private views.

Little secrets are commonly told again, but great ones generally kept.