The world can doubtless never be well known by theory: practice is absolutely necessary; but surely it is of great use to a young ...man, before he sets out for that country, full of mazes, windings, and turnings, to have at least a general map of it, made by some experienced traveller.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
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.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
It is commonly said ... that ridicule is the best test of truth; for that it will not stick where it is not just. I deny it. A tru...th learned in a certain light, and attacked in certain words, by men of wit and humour, may, and often doth, become ridiculous, at least so far, that the truth is only remembered and repeated for the sake of the ridicule.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
If you can once engage people's pride, love, pity, ambition (or whatever is their prevailing passion) on your side, you need not f...ear what their reason can do against you.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
Style is the dress of thoughts; and let them be ever so just, if your style is homely, coarse, and vulgar, they will appear to as ...much disadvantage, and be as ill received, as your person, though ever so well-proportioned, would if dressed in rags, dirt, and tatters.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
Most people have ears, but few have judgment; tickle those ears, and depend upon it you will catch their judgments, such as they a...re.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »