It is a very melancholy reflection that men are usually so weak that it is absolutely necessary for them to know sorrow and pain to be in their right senses.

A fool is in himself the object of pity, until he is flattered.

It is a secret known but to few, yet of no small use in the conduct of life, that when you fall into a man's conversation, the first thing you should consider is, whether he has a greater inclination to hear you, or that you should hear him.

It is an impertinent and unreasonable fault in conversation for one man to take up all the discourse.

Violins are the lively, forward, importunate wits, that distinguish themselves by the flourishes of imagination, sharpness of repartee, glances of satire, and bear away the upper part in every consort.

Pride destroys all symmetry and grace, and affectation is a more terrible enemy to fine faces than the small-pox.

Vanity makes people ridiculous, pride odious, and ambition terrible.