Civility, which is a disposition to accommodate and oblige others, is essentially the same in every country; but good breeding, asit is called, which is the manner of exerting that disposition, is different in almost every country, and merely local; and every man of sense imitates and conforms to that local good breeding of the place which he is at.

Whatever poets may write, or fools believe, of rural innocence and truth, and of the perfidy of courts, this is most undoubtedly true,--that shepherds and ministers are both men; their natures and passions the same, the modes of them only different.

If we do not plant knowledge when young, it will give us no shade when we are old.

Ceremonies are the outworks of manners.

I love every-day senses, every-day wit and entertainment; a man who is only good on holidays, is good for very little.

Women are much more like each other than men: they have, in truth, but two passions, vanity and love; these are their universal characteristics.

Any affectation whatsoever in dress implies, in my mind, a flaw in the understanding.