All censure of a man’s self is oblique praise.

No, Sir; to act from pure benevolence is not possible for finite beings. Human benevolence is mingled with vanity, interest, or some other motive.

Sir, you have but two topics, yourself and me. I am sick of both.

The greatest part of a writer’s time is spent in reading, in order to write: a man will turn over half a library to make one book.

A man should be careful never to tell tales of himself to his own disadvantage. People may be amused and laugh at the time, but they will be remembered, and brought out against him upon some subsequent occasion.

Why, sir, a man grows better humored as he grows older. He improves by experience. When young, he thinks himself of great consequence, and every thing of importance. As he advances in life, he learns to think himself of no consequence, and little things of little importance; and so he becomes more patient, and better pleased.

[ Of Lady Diana Beauclerk :] The woman’s a whore, and there’s an end on ’t.

[ Of Oliver Goldsmith’s apology in the London Chronicle for assaulting Thomas Evans :] He has, indeed, done it very well; but it is a foolish thing well done.

[ Replying to the question, “What, have you not read it through?” :] No, Sir, do you read books through?

[ Of Lord Mansfield, born in Scotland but educated in England :] Much may be made of a Scotchman, if he be caught young.