Quotes of All Topics . Occasions . Authors
His designs were strictly honourable, as the phrase is; that is, to rob a lady of her fortune by way of marriage.
A rich man without charity is a rogue; and perhaps it would be no difficult matter to prove that he is also a fool.
What was said by the Latin poet of labor--that it conquers all things--is much more true when applied to impudence.
To the generality of men you cannot give a stronger hint for them to impose upon you than by imposing upon yourself.
The exceptions of the scrupulous put one in mind of some general pardons where everything is forgiven except crimes.
Tea! The panacea for everything from weariness to a cold to a murder Love and scandal are the best sweeteners of tea.
Good writers will, indeed, do well to imitate the ingenious traveller. . .who always proportions his stay in any place.
the excellence of the mental entertainment consists less in the subject than in the author's skill in well dressing it up.
It is not enough that your designs, nay that your actions, are intrinsically good, you must take care they shall appear so.
Beauty may be the object of liking--great qualities of admiration--good ones of esteem--but love only is the object of love.
However exquisitely human nature may have been described by writers, the true practical system can be learned only in the world.
To the composition of novels and romances, nothing is necessary but paper, pens, and ink, with the manual capacity of using them.
The world have payed too great a compliment to critics, and have imagined them men of much greater profundity than they really are.
Some general officers should pay a stricter regard to truth than to call the depopulating other countries the service of their own.
Great joy, especially after a sudden change of circumstances, is apt to be silent, and dwells rather in the heart than on the tongue.
Considering the unforeseen events of this world, we should be taught that no human condition should inspire men with absolute despair.
There is an insolence which none but those who themselves deserve contempt can bestow, and those only who deserve no contempt can bear.
What is commonly called love, namely the desire of satisfying a voracious appetite with a certain quantity of delicate white human flesh.
He in a few minutes ravished this fair creature, or at least would have ravished her, if she had not, by a timely compliance, prevented him.
When widows exclaim loudly against second marriages, I would always lay a wager than the man, If not the wedding day, is absolutely fixed on.
Ingratitude never so thoroughly pierces the human breast as when it proceeds from those in whose behalf we have been guilty of transgressions.
Wit, like hunger, will be with great difficulty restrained from falling on vice and ignorance, where there is great plenty and variety of food.
There are those who never reason on what they should do, but what they have done; as if Reason had her eyes behind, and could only see backwards.
In a debate, rather pull to pieces the argument of thy antagonists than offer him any of thy own; for thus thou wilt fight him in his own country.
It is well known to all great men, that by conferring an obligation they do not always procure a friend, but are certain of creating many enemies.
There is scarcely any man, how much soever he may despise the character of a flatterer, but will condescend in the meanest manner to flatter himself.
Now in reality, the world has paid too great a compliment to critics, and has imagined them to be men of much greater profundity than they really are.
The life of a coquette is one constant lie; and the only rule by which you can form any correct judgment of them is that they are never what they seem.
LOVE: A word properly applied to our delight in particular kinds of food; sometimes metaphorically spoken of the favorite objects of all our appetites.
Great vices are the proper objects of our detestation, smaller faults of our pity, but affectation appears to be the only true source of the ridiculous.
Now, in reality, the world have paid too great a compliment to critics, and have imagined them to be men of much greater profundity then they really are.
Fear hath the common fault of a justice of peace, and is apt to conclude hastily from every slight circumstance, without examining the evidence on both sides.
for nothing can be more reasonable, than that slaves and flatterers should exact the same taxes on all below them, which they themselves pay to all above them.
A good conscience is never lawless in the worst regulated state, and will provide those laws for itself which the neglect of legislators had forgotten to supply.
Some virtuous women are too liberal in their insults to a frail sister; but virtue can support itself without borrowing any assistance from the vices of other women.
A good face they say, is a letter of recommendation. O Nature, Nature, why art thou so dishonest, as ever to send men with these false recommendations into the World!
Nothing can be so quick and sudden as the operations of the mind, especially when hope, or fear, or jealousy, to which the other two are but journeymen, set it to work.
A grave aspect to a grave character is of much more consequence than the world is generally aware of; a barber may make you laugh, but a surgeon ought rather to make you cry.
Though we may sometimes unintentionally bestow our beneficence on the unworthy, it does not take from the merit of the act. For charity doth not adopt the vices of its objects.
Guilt, on the contrary, like a base thief, suspects every eye that beholds him to be privy to his transgressions, and every tongue that mentions his name to be proclaiming them.
Lo, when two dogs are fighting in the streets, With a third dog one of the two dogs meets; With angry teeth he bites him to the bone, And this dog smarts for what that dog has done.
As a conquered rebellion strengthens a government, or as health is more perfectly established by recovery from some diseases; so anger, when removed, often gives new life to affection.
When I mention religion I mean the Christian religion; and not only the Christian religion, but the Protestant religion; and not only the Protestant religion, but the Church of England.
It is admirably remarked, by a most excellent writer, that zeal can no more hurry a man to act in direct opposition to itself than a rapid stream can carry a boat against its own current.
He that can heroically endure adversity will bear prosperity with equal greatness of soul; for the mind that cannot be dejected by the former is not likely to be transported with the later.
It may be laid down as a general rule, that no woman who hath any great pretensions to admiration is ever well pleased in a company where she perceives herself to fill only the second place.
There is nothing so useful to man in general, nor so beneficial to particular societies and individuals, as trade. This is that alma mater, at whose plentiful breast all mankind are nourished.
An author ought to consider himself, not as a gentleman who gives a private or eleemosynary treat, but rather as one who keeps a public ordinary, at which all persons are welcome for their money.
There are two considerations which always imbitter the heart of an avaricious man--the one is a perpetual thirst after more riches, the other the prospect of leaving what he has already acquired.
Heroes, notwithstanding the high ideas which, by the means of flatterers, they may entertain of themselves, or the world may conceive of them, have certainly more of mortal than divine about them.