Quotes from Mary Wortley Montagu

Nobody should trust their virtue with necessity, the force of which is never known till it is felt, and it is therefore one of the first duties to avoid the temptation of it.

Life is too short for a long story.

Prudent people are very happy 'tis an exceeding fine thing, that's certain, but I was born without it, and shall retain to my day of Death the Humour of saying what I think.

You can be pleased with nothing when you are not pleased with yourself.

No entertainment is so cheap as reading, nor any pleasure so lasting.

I give myself sometimes admirable advice, but I am incapable of taking it.

No entertainment is so cheap as reading, nor any pleasure so lasting. She will not want new fashions nor regret the loss of expensive diversions or variety of company if she can be amused with an author in her closet.

Civility costs nothing and buys everything

In short I will part with anything for you but you.

I despise the pleasure of pleasing people that I despise.

None strive to know their proper merit But strain for wisdom, beauty, spirit And lose the praise that is their due When they've the impossible in view

Considering what short lived, weak animals men are, is there any study so beneficial as the study of present pleasure?