Natural affection is a prejudice; for though we have cause to love our nearest connections better than others, we have no reason to think them better than others.

The English (it must be owned) are rather a foul-mouthed nation.

Man is a poetical animal, and delights in fiction.

I do not think that what is called Love at first sight is so great an absurdity as it is sometimes imagined to be. We generally make up our minds beforehand to the sort of person we should like, grave or gay, black, brown, or fair; with golden tresses or raven locks; - and when we meet with a complete example of the qualities we admire, the bargain is soon struck.

Envy is a littleness of soul, which cannot see beyond a certain point, and if it does not occupy the whole space feels itself excluded.

A nickname is the heaviest stone that the devil can throw at a man. It is a bugbear to the imagination, and, though we do not believe in it, it still haunts our apprehensions.

Dandyism is a species of genius.