When I reflect upon what I have seen, what I have heard, what I have done, I can hardly persuade myself that all that frivolous hurry and bustle and pleasure of the world had any reality; and I look on what has passed as one of those wild dreams which opium occasions, and I by no means wish to repeat the nauseous dose for the sake of the fugitive illusion.

Wit is so shining a quality that everybody admires it; most people aim at it, all people fear it, and few love it unless in themselves. A man must have a good share of wit himself to endure a great share of it in another.

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

The world is a country which nobody ever yet knew by description; one must travel through it one's self to be acquainted with it.

Silence and reserve suggest latent power. What some men think has more effect than what others say.

When you have found out the prevailing passion of any man, remember never to trust him where that passion is concerned.

Letters should be easy and natural, and convey to the persons to whom we send them just what we should say to the persons if we were with them.