A proud man never shows his pride so much as when he is civil.

Good-humor is allied to generosity, ill-humor to meanness.

The world is an excellent judge in general, but a very bad one in particular.

I hardly know a sight that raises one's indignation more than that of an enlarged soul joined to a contracted fortune; unless it be that so much more common one, of a contracted soul joined to an enlarged fortune.

It is not enough that you can form nay, and follow, the most excellent rules for conducting yourself in the world. You must also know when to deviate from them, and where lies the exception.

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.

True delicacy, as true generosity, is more wounded by an offence from itself--if I may be allowed the expression--than to itself.