"Though with those streams he no resemblance hold, Whose foam is amber and their gravel gold; His genuine and less guilty wealth t' explore, Search not his bottom, but survey his shore."

"Oh, could I flow like thee, and make thy stream My great example, as it is my theme! Though deep, yet clear; though gentle, yet not dull; Strong without rage; without o'erflowing, full."

"As aromatic plants bestow No spicy fragrance while they grow; But crush'd or trodden to the ground, Diffuse their balmy sweets around."

"The king himself has followed her When she has walk'd before."

"Good people all, with one acord, Lament for Madame Blaize, Who never wanted a good word — From those who spoke her praise."

"As writers become more numerous, it is natural for readers to become more indolent."

"The true use of speech is not so much to express our wants as to conceal them."

"One writer, for instance, excels at a plan or a title page, another works away at the body of the book, and a third is a dab at an index."

"For he who fights and runs away May live to fight another day; But he who is in battle slain Can never rise and fight again."

"You may all go to pot."

"[To Mr. Johnson] If you were to make little fishes talk, they would talk like whales."

"There is no arguing with Johnson: for if his pistol misses fire, he knocks you down with the butt end of it."

"Such dainties to them, their health it might hurt; It's like sending them ruffles, when wanting a shirt."

"The better sort here pretend to the utmost compassion for animals of every kind. To hear them speak, a stranger would be apt to imagine they could hardly hurt the gnat that stung them: they seem so tender and so full of pity, that one would take them for the harmless friends of the whole creation; the protectors of the meanest insect or reptile that was privileged with existence. And yet, would you believe it? I have seen the very men who have thus boasted of their tenderness, at the same time devouring the flesh of six different animals toasted up in a fricassee. Strange contrariety of conduct! they pity and they eat the objects of their compassion."