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The laws of custom make our [returning a visit] necessary. O how I hate this vile custom which obliges us to make slaves of ourselves! to sell the most precious property we boast, our time--and to sacrifice it to every prattling impertinent who chooses to demand it!

Fanny Burney

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Fanny Burney
Every
Slave
Chooses
Make
Property
Boast
Time
Laws
Slaves
Demand
Visit
Obliges
Sacrifice
Customs
Impertinent
Necessary
Precious
Vile
Law
Sell
Returning
Hate
Sells
Custom

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to be sure, marriage is all in all with the ladies but with us gentlemen it's quite another thing!
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We continually say things to support an opinion, which we have given, that in reality we don't above half mean.
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Can any thing, my good Sir, be more painful to a friendly mind than a necessity of communicating disagreeable intelligence? Indeed, it is sometimes difficult to determine, whether the relater or the receiver of evil tidings is most to be pitied.
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You have sensible women here [in England] but then, they are very devils--censorious, uncharitable, sarcastic--the women in Scotland have twice--thrice their freedom, with all their virtue--and are very conversable and agreeable--their educations are more finished.
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To despise riches, may, indeed, be philosophic, but to dispense them worthily, must surely be more beneficial to mankind.
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falsehood is not more unjustifiable than unsafe.
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I am tired to death! tired of every thing! I would give the universe for a disposition less difficult to please. Yet, after all, what is there to give pleasure? When one has seen one thing, one has seen every thing.
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Nothing is so delicate as the reputation of a woman it is at once the most beautiful and most brittle of all human things.
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How little has situation to do with happiness.
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But authors before they write should read.
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such is the effect of true politeness, that it banishes all restraint and embarassment.
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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.
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Credulity is the sister of innocence.
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A youthful mind is seldom totally free from ambition to curb that, is the first step to contentment, since to diminish expectation is to increase enjoyment.
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Tired, ashamed, and mortified, I begged to sit down till we returned home, which I did soon after. Lord Orville did me the honour to hand me to the coach, talking all the way of the honour I had done him ! O these fashionable people!
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Generosity without delicacy, like wit without judgment, generally gives as much pain as pleasure.
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Far from having taken any positive step, I have not yet even fommed any resolution.
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Misery is a guest that we are glad to part with, however certain of her speedy return.
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To save the mind from preying inwardly upon itself, it must be encouraged to some outward pursuit. There is no other way to elude apathy, or escape discontent none other to guard the temper from that quarrel with itself, which ultimately ends in quarreling with all mankind.
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This perpetual round of constrained civilities to persons quite indifferent to us, is the most provoking and tiresome thing in theworld, but it is unavoidable in a country town, where everybody is known.... 'Tis a most shocking and unworthy way of spending our precious irrecoverable time, to those who know not its value.
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