Philip Stanhope

Our prejudices are our mistresses; reason is at best our wife, very often heard indeed, but seldom minded.

It is always right to detect a fraud, and to perceive a folly; but it is very often wrong to expose either. A man of business should always have his eyes open, but must often seem to have them shut.

Words, which are the dress of thoughts, deserve surely more care than clothes, which are only the dress of the person.

Most people enjoy the inferiority of their best friends.

There is time enough for everything, in the course of the day, if you do but one thing at once; but there is not time enough in the year, if you will do two things at a time.

In the mass of mankind, I fear, there is too great a majority of fools and knaves; who, singly from their number, must to a certain degree be respected, though they are by no means respectable.

Whoever incites anger has a strong insurance against indifference.

Judgment is not upon all occasions required, but discretion always is.

Politeness is as much concerned in answering letters within a reasonable time, as it is in returning a bow, immediately.

A young man, be his merit what it will, can never raise himself; but must, like the ivy round the oak, twine himself round some man of great power and interest.

Gratitude is a burden upon our imperfect nature, and we are but too willing to ease ourselves of it, or at least to lighten it as much as we can.

Women are only children of a larger growth. A man of sense only trifles with them, plays with them, humours and flatters them, as he does with a sprightly and forward child; but he neither consults them about, nor trusts them with, serious matters.