True politeness consists in being easy one’s self, and in making every one about one as easy as one can.

But Satan now is wiser than of yore, and tempts by making rich, not making poor.

Charms strike the sight, but merit wins the soul.

No woman ever hates a man for being in love with her, but many a woman hate a man for being a friend to her.

Know then this truth, enough for man to know virtue alone is happiness below.

‘Tis education forms the common mind; just as the twig is bent the tree’s inclined.

Extremes in nature equal ends produce; In man they join to some mysterious use.

Fools admire, but men of sense approve.

There is a certain majesty in simplicity which is far above all the quaintness of wit.

The ruling passion, be it what it will. The ruling passion conquers reason still.

How happy is the blameless vestal’s lot? The world forgetting, by the world forgot.

The difference is too nice – Where ends the virtue or begins the vice.

They dream in courtship, but in wedlock wake.

Some people will never learn anything, for this reason, because they understand everything too soon.

Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.

Our passions are like convulsion fits, which, though they make us stronger for a time, leave us the weaker ever after.

To err is human; to forgive, divine.

Health consists with temperance alone.

In words, as fashions, the same rule will hold; Alike fantastic, if too new, or old: Be not the first by whom the new are tried, Nor yet the last to lay the old aside.

A work of art that contains theories is like an object on which the price tag has been left.

Get place and wealth, if possible with grace; if not, by any means get wealth and place.

Genius creates, and taste preserves. Taste is the good sense of genius; without taste, genius is only sublime folly.

Beauties in vain their pretty eyes may roll; charms strike the sight, but merit wins the soul.

The same ambition can destroy or save, and make a patriot as it makes a knave.

Praise undeserved, is satire in disguise.

Order is heaven’s first law.

Trust not yourself, but your defects to know, make use of every friend and every foe.

Tis but a part we see, and not a whole.

And all who told it added something new, and all who heard it, made enlargements too.

Blessed is the man who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed was the ninth beatitude.

Wit is the lowest form of humor.

The worst of madmen is a saint run mad.

So vast is art, so narrow human wit.

For Forms of Government let fools contest; whatever is best administered is best.

For modes of faith let graceless zealots fight, His can’t be wrong whose life is in the right.

Never was it given to mortal man – To lie so boldly as we women can.

True politeness consists in being easy one’s self, and in making every one about one as easy as one can.

‘Tis not enough your counsel still be true; Blunt truths more mischief than nice falsehoods do.

On life’s vast ocean diversely we sail. Reasons the card, but passion the gale.

To observations which ourselves we make, we grow more partial for th’ observer’s sake.

Many men have been capable of doing a wise thing, more a cunning thing, but very few a generous thing.

Never elated when someone’s oppressed, never dejected when another one’s blessed.

Virtue she finds too painful an endeavour, content to dwell in decencies for ever.

Men would be angels, angels would be gods.

If a man’s character is to be abused there’s nobody like a relative to do the business.

No one should be ashamed to admit they are wrong, which is but saying, in other words, that they are wiser today than they were yesterday.

Never find fault with the absent.

Not always actions show the man; we find who does a kindness is not therefore kind.

A God without dominion, providence, and final causes, is nothing else but fate and nature.

A person who is too nice an observer of the business of the crowd, like one who is too curious in observing the labor of bees, will often be stung for his curiosity.

Teach me to feel another’s woe, to hide the fault I see, that mercy I to others show, that mercy show to me.

Be not the first by whom the new are tried, Nor yet the last to lay the old aside.

Nature and nature’s laws lay hid in the night. God said, Let Newton be! and all was light!

The way of the Creative works through change and transformation, so that each thing receives its true nature and destiny and comes into permanent accord with the Great Harmony: this is what furthers and what perseveres.

But blind to former as to future fate, what mortal knows his pre-existent state?

And die of nothing but a rage to live.

I find myself hoping a total end of all the unhappy divisions of mankind by party-spirit, which at best is but the madness of many for the gain of a few.

One science only will one genius fit; so vast is art, so narrow human wit.

Know then thyself, presume not God to scan; The proper study of mankind is man.

Behold the child, by Nature’s kindly law pleased with a rattle, tickled with a straw.

The world forgetting, by the world forgot.

Pride is still aiming at the best houses: Men would be angels, angels would be gods. Aspiring to be gods, if angels fell; aspiring to be angels men rebel.

True ease in writing comes from art, not chance, as those who move easiest have learned to dance.

Honor and shame from no condition rise. Act well your part: there all the honor lies.

How shall I lose the sin, yet keep the sense, and love the offender, yet detest the offence?

The bookful blockhead, ignorantly read With loads of learned lumber in his head.

Who shall decide when doctors disagree, And soundest casuists doubt, like you and me?

Woman’s at best a contradiction still.

An honest man’s the noblest work of God.

Lo, what huge heaps of littleness around!

And, after all, what is a lie? ‘Tis but the truth in a masquerade.

All nature is but art unknown to thee.

Education forms the common mind. Just as the twig is bent, the tree’s inclined.

The learned is happy, nature to explore; The fool is happy, that he knows no more.

Of Manners gentle, of Affections mild; In Wit a man; Simplicity, a child.

All are but parts of one stupendous whole, Whose body Nature is, and God the soul.

Some old men, continually praise the time of their youth. In fact, you would almost think that there were no fools in their days, but unluckily they themselves are left as an example.

Hope travels through, nor quits us when we die.

Hope springs eternal in the human breast: Man never is, but always To be Blest.

For fools rush in where angels fear to tread.

The hungry judges soon the sentence sign, and wretches hang that jurymen may dine.

The greatest magnifying glasses in the world are a man’s own eyes when they look upon his own person.

Whoever thinks a faultless piece to see, Thinks what ne’er was, nor is, nor e’er shall be.

How prone to doubt, how cautious are the wise!

At ev’ry word a reputation dies.

The most positive men are the most credulous.

A wit with dunces, and a dunce with wits.

To be angry is to revenge the faults of others on ourselves.

Not to go back is somewhat to advance, and men must walk, at least, before they dance.

Lo! The poor Indian, whose untutored mind sees God in clouds, or hears him in the wind.

Lulled in the countless chambers of the brain, our thoughts are linked by many a hidden chain; awake but one, and in, what myriads rise!

Gentle dullness ever loves a joke.

A little learning is a dangerous thing; Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring.

Those move easiest who have learn’d to dance.

Satan is wiser now than before, and tempts by making rich instead of poor.

Party-spirit at best is but the madness of many for the gain of a few.

Men must be taught as if you taught them not, and things unknown proposed as things forgot.

Fondly we think we honor merit then, When we but praise ourselves in other men.

Act well your part, there all the honour lies.

The vulgar boil, the learned roast, an egg.

Histories are more full of examples of the fidelity of dogs than of friends.

Slave to no sect, who takes no private road, But looks through Nature up to Nature’s God.

Happy the man whose wish and care a few paternal acres bound, content to breathe his native air in his own ground.

Like Cato, give his little senate laws, and sit attentive to his own applause.

The proper study of Mankind is Man.

Remembrance and reflection how allied. What thin partitions divides sense from thought.

What some call health, if purchased by perpetual anxiety about diet, isn’t much better than tedious disease.

On wrongs swift vengeance waits.

Man never thinks himself happy, but when he enjoys those things which others want or desire.

Is pride, the never-failing vice of fools.

Passions are the gales of life.