A Girl's Affections Should Never

If You Would Have A Boy To Despise His Mother, Let Her Keep Him At Home, And Spend Her Life In Petting Him Up, And Slaving To Indulge His Follies And Caprices.

There's Nothing Like Active Employment, I Suppose, To Console The Afflicted.

He Is Very Fond Of Me, Almost Too Fond. I Could Do With Less Caressing And More Rationality. I Should Like To Be Less Of A Pet And More Of A Friend, If I Might Choose; But I Won't Complain Of That: I Am Only Afraid His Affection Loses In Depth Where It Gains In Ardour. I Sometimes Liken It To A Fire Of Dry Twigs And Branches Compared With One Of Solid Coal, Very Bright And Hot; But If It Should Burn Itself Out And Leave Nothing But Ashes Behind.

Beauty Is That Quality Which, Next To Money, Is Generally The Most Attractive To The Worst Kinds Of Men; And, Therefore, It Is Likely To Entail A Great Deal Of Trouble On The Possessor.

[preface To Second Edition:] ... I Am Satisfied That If A Book Is A Good One, It Is So Whatever The Sex Of The Author May Be.