Virtues, like essences, lose their fragrance when exposed. They are sensitive plants, which will not bear too familiar approaches.

When misfortunes happen to such as dissent from us in matters of religion, we call them judgments; when to those of our own sect, we call them trials; when to persons neither way distinguished, we are content to attribute them to the settled course of things.

In designing a house and gardens, it is happy when there is an opportunity of maintaining a subordination of parts; the house so luckily place as to exhibit a view of the whole design. I have sometimes thought that there was room for it to resemble a epic or dramatic poem.

I am thankful that my name in obnoxious to no pun.

The proper means of increasing the love we bear our native country is to reside some time in a foreign one.

Taste is pursued at a less expense than fashion.

A fool and his words are soon parted.