MISFORTUNES.

Depend upon it, that if a man talks of his misfortunes, there is something in them that is not disagreeable to him; for where there is nothing but pure misery, there never is any recourse to the mention of it.

MADNESS.

Many a man is mad in certain instances, and goes through life without having it perceived. For example, a madness has seized a person of supposing himself obliged literally to pray continually; had the madness turned the opposite way, and the person thought it a crime ever to pray, it might not improbably have continued unobserved.

SERMONS.

Sermons make a considerable branch of English literature, so that a library must be very imperfect if it has not a numerous collection of sermons; and in all collections, sir, the desire of augmenting them grows stronger in proportion to the advance in acquisition, as motion is accelerated by the continuance of the impetus.

THE INUTILITY OF LECTURES.

Lectures were once useful; but now, when all can read, and books are so numerous, lectures are unnecessary. If your attention fails, and you miss a part of the lecture, it is lost; you cannot go back, as you do upon a book.

QUOTATION.

Sir, it is a good thing; there is a community of mind in it. Classical quotation is the parole of literary men all over the world.

PRETTY WOMEN.

Sir, it is a very foolish resolution to resolve not to marry a pretty woman. Beauty is of itself very estimable. No, sir, I would prefer a pretty woman, unless there are objections to her. A pretty woman may be foolish; a pretty woman may be wicked; a pretty woman may not like me. But there is no such danger in marrying a pretty woman as is apprehended; she will not be persecuted if she does not invite persecution. A pretty woman, if she has a mind to be wicked, can find a readier way than another; and that is all.

MEMORY.

To remember and to recollect are different things. A man has not the power to recollect what is not in his mind; but when a thing is in his mind, he may remember it.

THE ELEMENTS OF CONVERSATION.

There must, in the first place, be knowledge, there must be materials; in the second place there must be a command of words; in the third place, there must be imagination, to place things in such views as they are not commonly seen in; and in the fourth place, there must be presence of mind, and a resolution that it is not to be overcome by failures. This last is an essential requisite; for want of it many people do not excel in conversation.

FOX AND BURKE.

Fox never talks in private company, not from any determination not to talk, but because he has not the first motion. A man who is used to the applause of the House of Commons has no wish for that of a private company. A man

MEMORY.

To remember and to recollect are different things. A man has not the power to recollect what is not in his mind; but when a thing is in his mind, he may remember it.

THE ELEMENTS OF CONVERSATION.

There must, in the first place, be knowledge, there must be materials; in the second place there must be a command of words; in the third place, there must be imagination, to place things in such views as they are not commonly seen in; and in the fourth place, there must be presence of mind, and a resolution that it is not to be overcome by failures. This last is an essential requisite ; for want of it many people do not excel in conversation.

FOX AND BUrke.

Fox never talks in private company, not from any determination not to talk, but because he has not the first motion. A man who is used to the applause of the House of Commons has no wish for that of a private company. A man