The happiest lot for a man, as far as birth is concerned, is that it should be such as to give him but little occasion to think much about it.

The Eastern monarch who proclaimed a reward to him who should discover a new pleasure, would have deserved well of mankind had he stipulated that it should be blameless.

Some persons resemble certain trees, such as the nut, which flowers in February and ripens its fruit in September; or the juniper and the arbutus; which take a whole year or more to perfect their fruit; and others, the cherry, which takes between two an three months.

Great affectation and great absence of it are at first sight very similar.

Some men's reputation seems like seed-wheat, which thrives best when brought from a distance.

Curiosity is as much the parent of attention, as attention is of memory.

Do you want to know the man against whom you have most reason to guard yourself? Your looking-glass will give you a very fair likeness of his face.