While I am to crawl upon this Planet, I would willingly enjoy the health at least of an insect.

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Remember that the wit, humour, and jokes of most mixed companies are local. They thrive in that particular soil, but will not often bear trans...

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I am not of the opinion generally entertained in this country [England], that man lives by Greek and Latin alone; that is, by knowing a great ...

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Sculpture and painting are very justly called liberal arts; a lively and strong imagination, together with a just observation, being absolutel...

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Gold and silver are but merchandise, as well as cloth or linen; and that nation that buys the least, and sells the most, must always have the ...

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He had a gentleman-like frankness in his behaviour, and as a great point of honour as a minister can have, especially a minister at the head o...

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An honest man may really love a pretty girl, but only an idiot marries her merely because she is pretty.

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The receipt to make a speaker, and an applauded one too, is short and easy.—Take of common sense quantum sufficit, add a little application ...

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All I desire for my own burial, is not to be buried alive; but how or where, I think, must be entirely indifferent to every rational creature.

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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 p...

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All I can say, in answer to this kind queries [of friends] is that I have not the distemper called the Plague; but that I have all the plagues...

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Merit at Courts, without favour, will do little or nothing; favour, without merit, will do a good deal; but favour and merit together will do ...

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There is not a more prudent maxim, than to live with one's enemies as if they may one day become one's friends; as it commonly happens, sooner...

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If a marriage is going to work well, it must be on a solid footing, namely money, and of that commodity it is the girl with the smallest dowry...

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I could heartily wish that you may often be seen to smile, but never heard to laugh while you live. Frequent and loud laughter is the characte...

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I often wish for the end of the wretched remnant of my life; and that wish is a rational one; but then the innate principle of self-preservati...

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Thirty years ago I said, 'But how can one be sick?' But now I say, 'If only one could find the secret of not being sick, I would not exchange ...

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Absolute power can only be supported by error, ignorance and prejudice.

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Armies, though always the supporters and tools of absolute power for the time being, are always the destroyers of it too; by frequently changi...

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He was as jealous of his power as an impotent lover of his mistress, without activity of mind enough to enjoy or exert it, but could not bear ...

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Keep your own secret, and get out other people's. Keep your own temper, and artfully warm other people's. Counterwork your rivals with diligen...

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Most arts require long study and application; but the most useful art of all, that of pleasing, requires only the desire.

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