A man who cannot command his temper, his attention, and his countenance should not think of being a man of business.

Let us not only scatter benefits, but even strew flowers for our fellow-travellers, in the rugged ways of this wretched world.

A certain degree of ceremony is a necessary outwork of manners, as well as of religion; it keeps the forward and petulant at a proper distance, and is a very small restraint to the sensible and to the well-bred part of the world.

I assisted at the birth of that most significant word "flirtation," which dropped from the most beautiful mouth in the world.

The world can doubtless never be well known by theory: practice is absolutely necessary; but surely it is of great use to a young man, before he sets out for that country, full of mazes, windings, and turnings, to have at least a general map of it, made by some experienced traveler.

Never write down your speeches beforehand; if you do, you may perhaps be a good declaimer, but will never be a debater.

A weak mind is like a microscope, which magnifies trifling things but cannot receive great ones.