Few men are of one plain, decided color; most are mixed, shaded, and blended; and vary as much, from different situations, as changeable silks do from different lights.

In nature the most violent passions are silent; in tragedy they must speak and speak with dignity too.

Nothing convinces persons of a weak understanding so effectually, as what they do not comprehend.

So much are our minds influenced by the accidents of our bodies, that every man is more the man of the day than a regular and consequential character.

Men are much more unwilling to have their weaknesses and their imperfections known than their crimes.

If you wish particularly to gain the good graces and affection of certain people, men or women, try to discover their most striking merit, if they have one, and their dominant weakness, for every one has his own, then do justice to the one, and a little more than justice to the other.

Women who are either indisputably beautiful, or indisputably ugly, are best flattered upon the score of their understandings.