An immense percentage of snobs, I believe, is to be found in every rank of this mortal life.

Choose a good disagreeable friend, if you be wise--a surly, steady, economical, rigid fellow.

We have only to change the point of view and the greatest action looks mean.

'Tis strange what a man may do, and a woman yet think him an angel.

If, in looking at the lives of princes, courtiers, men of rank and fashion, we must perforce depict them as idle, profligate, and criminal, we must make allowances for the rich men's failings, and recollect that we, too, were very likely indolent and voluptuous, had we no motive for work, a mortal's natural taste for pleasure, and the daily temptation of a large income. What could a great peer, with a great castle and park, and a great fortune, do but be splendid and idle?

For my part, I believe that remorse is the least active of all a man's moral senses,--the very easiest to be deadened when wakened, and in some never wakened at all.

Learn to admire rightly; the great pleasure of life is that. Note what the great men admired; they admired great things; narrow spirits admire basely, and worship meanly.