The amiable is the voluptuous in expression or manner. The sense of pleasure in ourselves is that which excites it in others; or, the art of pleasing is to seem pleased.

The best way to make ourselves agreeable to others is by seeming to think them so. If we appear fully sensible of their good qualities they will not complain of the want of them in us.

They are the only honest hypocrites, their life is a voluntary dream, a studied madness.

Wit is the salt of conversation, not the food.

The most fluent talkers or most plausible reasoners are not always the justest thinkers.

The more a man writes, the more he can write.

Abuse is an indirect species of homage.