To this principle of vanity, which philosophers call a mean one, and which I do not, I owe a great part of the figure which I have made in life.

It is reported here that the King of Prussia has gone mad and has been locked up. There would be nothing bad about that: at leastthat might of his would no longer be a menace, and you could breathe freely for a while. I much prefer madmen who are locked up to those who are not.

Human nature is the same everywhere; the modes only are different.

Advice is seldom welcome, and those who need it the most, like it the least.

An injury is much sooner forgotten than an insult.

Statesmen and beauties are very rarely sensible of the gradations of their decay.

Great merit or great failings will make you respected or despised; but trifles, little attentions, mere nothings, either done or neglected, will make you either liked or disliked, in the general run of the world. Examine yourself, why you like such and such people and dislike such and such others; and you will find that those different sentiments proceed from very slight causes.