Next to eating good dinners, a healthy man with a benevolent turn of mind, must like, I think, to read about them.

Not only is the world informed of everything about you, but of a great deal more.

Out of the fictitious book I get the expression of the life, of the times, of the manners, of the merriment, of the dress, the pleasure, the laughter, the ridicules of society. The old times live again. Can the heaviest historian do more for me?

If you take temptations into account, who is to say that he is better than his neighbor?

Kindness is very indigestible. It disagrees with very proud stomachs.

People hate as they love, unreasonably.

The world is a looking-glass, and gives back to every man the reflection of his own face. Frown at it, and it will in turn look sourly upon you; laugh at it and with it, and it is a jolly kind companion; and so let all young persons take their choice.