As charity covers a multitude of sins before God, so does politeness before men.

True joy is only hope put out of fear.

Man is the only creature endowed with the power of laughter.

Weak men often from the very principle of their weakness derive a certain susceptibility; delicacy and taste which render them, in those particulars, much superior to men of stronger and more consistent minds, who laugh at them.

Whatever natural right men may have to freedom and independency, it is manifest that some men have a natural ascendency over others.

Our companions please us less from the charms we find in their conversation than from those they find in ours.

Good-humor will sometimes conquer ill-humor, but ill-humor will conquer it oftener; and for this plain reason, good-humor must operate on generosity, ill-humor on meanness.