It takes strong ears indeed to hear ourselves judged frankly, and because there are few who can endure criticism without being stung by it, those who venture to criticize us perform a remarkable act of friendship. For it is a healthy love that will risk wounding or offending in order to profer a benefit.

All passions that suffer themselves to be relished and digested are but moderate.

A man must not always tell all, for that be folly; but what a man says should be what he thinks.

The judgment is an utensil proper for all subjects, and will have an oar in everything.

It is easier to sacrifice great than little things.

Beauty is the true prerogative of women, and so peculiarly their own, that our sex, though naturally requiring another sort of feature, is never in its lustre but when puerile and beardless, confused and mixed with theirs.

A father is very miserable who has no other hold on his children's affection than the need they have of his assistance, if that can be called affection.