Choose your pleasures for yourself, and do not let them be imposed upon you.

Advice is seldom welcome, and those who need it the most, like it the least.

Most people enjoy the inferiority of their friends.

Persist and persevere, and you will find most things that are attainable, possible.

[Common sense] is the best sense I know of.

Modesty is the only sure bait when you angle for praise.

Wit is so shining a quality that everybody admires it; most people aim at it, all people fear it, and few love it unless in themselves.

The knowledge of the world is only to be acquired in the world, and not in a closet.

Learning is acquired by reading books, but the much more necessary learning, the knowledge of the world, is only to be acquired by reading men, and studying all the various facets of them.

Sex: the pleasure is momentary, the position ridiculous, and the expense damnable.

Men, as well as women, are much oftener led by their hearts than by their understandings.

Know the true value of time; snatch, seize, and enjoy every moment of it. No idleness; no laziness; no procrastination; never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.

No man can possibly improve in any company for which he has not respect enough to be under some degree of restraint.

I recommend you to take care of the minutes, for the hours will take care of themselves.

Be wiser than other people, if you can, but do not tell them so.

He makes people pleased with him by making them first pleased with themselves.

There is hardly anybody good for everything, and there is scarcely anybody who is absolutely good for nothing.

Never seem more learned than the people you are with. Wear your learning like a pocket watch and keep it hidden. Do not pull it out to count the hours, but give the time when you are asked.

Whatever you do, do it to the purpose; do it thoroughly, not superficially. Go to the bottom of things. Any thing half done, or half known, is in my mind, neither done nor known at all. Nay, worse, for it often misleads.

Character must be kept bright as well as clean.

The more one works, the more willing one is to work.