Men are much more unwilling to have their weaknesses and their imperfections known, than their crimes; and, if you hint to a man that you think him silly, ignorant, or even ill-bred or awkward, he will hate you more, and longer, than if you tell him plainly that you think him a rogue.

If you can once engage people's pride, love, pity, ambition on your side, you need not fear what their reason can do against you.

Dispatch is the soul of business, and nothing contributes more to dispatch than method.

You must embrace the man you hate, if you cannot be justified in knocking him down.

Learn to shrink yourself to the size of the company you are in. Take their tone, whatever it may be, and excell in it if you can;but never pretend to give the tone. A free conversation will no more bear a dictator than a free government will.

Many new years you may see, but happy ones you cannot see without deserving them. These virtue, honor, and knowledge alone can merit, alone can produce.

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.