Whenever I go to an opera, I leave my sense and reason at the door with my half guinea, and deliver myself up to my eyes and my ears

Distrust all those who love you extremely upon a very slight acquaintance and without any visible reason.

Opera: the graveyard of melody

There is an old proverb much in evidence now at the [National Opera]: If you want the flowers in your garden to be glorious and to smell good, you must risk an occasional stink.

Be wiser than other people, if you can, but do not tell them so.

Men, as well as women, are much oftener led by their hearts than by their understandings.