Society.—If you wish to appear agreeable in society, you must consent to be taught many things which you know already.—Lavater.
Formed of two mighty tribes, the bores and bored.—Byron.
Society undergoes continual changes; it is barbarous, it is civilized, it is Christianized, it is rich, it is scientific; but this change is not amelioration. For everything that is given something is taken. Society acquires new arts, and loses old instincts. The civilized man has built a coach, but has lost the use of his feet; he has a fine Geneva watch, but cannot tell the hour by the sun.—Emerson.
We take our colors, chameleon-like, from each other.—Chamfort.
Society is the union of men, and not men themselves; the citizen may perish, and yet man may remain.—Montesquieu.
There are four varieties in society; the lovers, the ambitious, observers, and fools. The fools are the happiest.—Taine.
Society is the offspring of leisure; and to acquire this forms the only rational motive for accumulating wealth, notwithstanding the cant that prevails on the subject of labor.—Tuckerman.
Intercourse is the soul of progress.—Charles Buxton.
One ought to love society if he wishes to enjoy solitude. It is a social nature that solitude works upon with the most various power. If one is misanthropic, and betakes himself to loneliness that he may get away from hateful things, solitude is a silent emptiness to him.—Zimmermann.
The most lucrative commerce has ever been that of hope, pleasure, and happiness, the merchandise of authors, priests, and kings.—Madame Roland.