Cautiously avoid speaking of the domestic affairs either of yourself, or of other people. Yours are nothing to them but tedious gossip; and theirs are nothing to you.

This is the day when people reciprocally offer, and receive, the kindest and the warmest wishes, though, in general, without meaning them on one side, or believing them on the other. They are formed by the head, in compliance with custom, though disavowed by the heart, in consequence of nature.

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

Absolute power can only be supported by error, ignorance and prejudice.

Cottages have them (falsehood and dissimulation) as well as courts, only with worse manners.

The value of moments, when cast up, is immense, if well employed; if thrown away, their loss is irrecoverable.

Whatever you do, do it to the purpose; do it thoroughly, not superficially. Go to the bottom of things. Any thing half done, or half known, is in my mind, neither done nor known at all. Nay, worse, for it often misleads.