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Our prejudices are our mistresses; reason is at best our wife, very often
heard indeed, but seldom minded.
Enjoy every moment; pleasures do not commonly last so long as life, and
therefore should not be neglected; and the longest life is too short for
knowledge, consequently every moment is precious.
A young fellow ought to be wiser than he should seem to be; and an old
fellow ought to seem wise whether he really be so or not.
Laziness of mind, or inattention, are as great enemies to knowledge as
incapacity; for, in truth, what difference is there between a man who
will not, and a man who cannot be informed? This difference only, that
the former is justly to be blamed, the latter to be pitied. And yet how
many there are, very capable of receiving knowledge, who from laziness,
inattention, and incuriousness, will not so much as ask for it, much less
take the least pains to acquire it!
Vicissitudes frequently make friends of enemies, and enemies of friends;
you must labor, therefore, to acquire that great and uncommon talent of
hating with good-breeding and loving with prudence.
Art of pleasing is the most necessary
Assenting, but without being servile and abject
Assertion instead of argument
Attacked by ridicule, and, punished with contempt
Bold, but with great seeming modesty
Close, without being costive
Command of our temper, and of our countenance
Company is, in truth, a constant state of negotiation
Consider things in the worst light, to show your skill
Darkness visible
Defended by arms, adorned by manners, and improved by laws
Doing nothing, and might just as well be asleep
Endeavor to hear, and know all opinions
Enjoy all those advantages
Few people know how to love, or how to hate
Fools, who can never be undeceived
Frank, but without indiscretion
Frequently make friends of enemies, and enemies of friends
Grave without the affectation of wisdom
Horace
How troublesome an old correspondent must be to a young one
I CANNOT DO SUCH A THING
Ignorant of their natural rights, cherished their chains
Inattention
Infallibly to be gained by every sort of flattery
Judges from the appearances of things, and not from the reality
Keep your own temper and artfully warm other people's
King's popularity is a better guard than their army
Made him believe that the world was made for him
Make every man I met with like me, and every woman love me
Man or woman cannot resist an engaging exterior
Man who is only good on holydays is good for very little
Never seek for wit; if it presents itself, well and good
Not making use of any one capital letter
Notes by which dances are now pricked down as well as tunes
Old fellow ought to seem wise whether he really be so or not
Please all who are worth pleasing; offend none
Pleasures do not commonly last so long as life
Polite, but without the troublesome forms and stiffness
Prejudices are our mistresses
Quarrel with them when they are grown up, for being spoiled
Read with caution and distrust
Ruined their own son by what they called loving him
Secret, without being dark and mysterious
Seeming inattention to the person who is speaking to you
Talent of hating with good-breeding and loving with prudence
The longest life is too short for knowledge
Trifles that concern you are not trifles to me
Truth, but not the whole truth, must be the invariable principle
Useful sometimes to see the things which one ought to avoid
Where one would gain people, remember that nothing is little
Wife, very often heard indeed, but seldom minded
Wit may created any admirers but makes few friends
Young fellow ought to be wiser than he should seem to be
LETTERS TO HIS SON, 1753-54
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