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.

In matters of religion and matrimony I never give any advice; because I will not have anybody's torments in this world or the next laid to my charge.

The nation looked upon him as a deserter, and he shrunk into insignificancy and an earldom.

The power of applying attention, steady and undissipated, to a single object, is the sure mark of superior genius.

We are hardly ever grateful for a fine clock or watch when it goes right, and we pay attention to it only when it falters, for then we are caught by surprise. It ought to be the other way about.

Smooth your way to the head through the heart. The way of reason is a good one: but it is commonly something longer, and perhapsnot so sure.

People will, in a great degree, and not without reason, form their opinion of you upon that which they have of your friends; and there is a Spanish proverb which says vry justly, 'Tell me whom you live with, and I will tell you who you are.'