I’d rather be done any thing to than laughed at, for, to my mind, it’s one or other the disagreeablest thing in the world.

To save the mind from preying inwardly upon itself, it must be encouraged to some outward pursuit.

Well of all things in the world, I don’t suppose anything can be so dreadful as a public wedding – my stars! – I should never be able to support it!

I cannot be much pleased without an appearance of truth; at least of possibility I wish the history to be natural though the sentiments are refined; and the characters to be probable, though their behaviour is excelling.

We continually say things to support an opinion, which we have given, that in reality we don’t above half mean.

There is something in age that ever, even in its own despite, must be venerable, must create respect and to have it ill treated, is to me worse, more cruel and wicked than anything on earth.

People who live together naturally catch the looks and air of one another and without having one feature alike, they contract a something in the whole countenance which strikes one as a resemblance.

There’s no nation under the sun can beat the English for ill-politeness: for my part, I hate the very sight of them; and so I shall only just visit a person of quality or two of my particular acquaintance, and then I shall go back again to France.

In England, I was quite struck to see how forward the girls are made – a child of 10 years old, will chat and keep you company, while her parents are busy or out etc. – with the ease of a woman of 26. But then, how does this education go on? – Not at all: it absolutely stops short.

O, we all acknowledge our faults, now; ’tis the mode of the day: but the acknowledgment passes for current payment; and therefore we never amend them.