(11 November 1633 – 5 April 1695) was an English statesman, writer, and politician.
He was born in Thornhill, West Yorkshire
the great-grandson of Sir George Savile of Lupset and Thornhill (created baronet in 1611). He was the eldest son of Sir William Savile, 3rd baronet
, who distinguished himself in the civil war
in the royalist cause and who died in 1644, and of Anne Coventry, eldest daughter of Lord Keeper Coventry.
Our nature hardly allows us to have enough of anything without having too much.
Every single Act either weakeneth or improveth our Credit with other Men ; and as an habit of being just to our Word will confirm, so an habit of too freely dispensing with it must necessarily destroy it.
A Husband without Faults is a dangerous Observer.
In your Clothes avoid too much Gaudy ; do not value your self upon an Imbroidered Gown ; and remember, that a reasonable Word, or an obliging Look, will gain you more respect, than all your fine Trappings.
Remember that Children and Fools want every thing because they want Wit to distinguish: and therefore there is no stronger Evidence of a Crazy Understanding, than the making too large a Catalogue of things necessary, when in truth there are so very few things that have a right to be placed in it.
A Princely Mind will undo a private Family.
Love is a Passion that hath Friends in the Garrison.
The Triumph of Wit is to make your good Nature subdue your Censure; to be quick in seeing Faults, and slow in exposing them. You are to consider, that the invisible thing called a Good Name, is made up of the Breath of Numbers that speak well of you; so that if by a disobliging Word you silence the meanest, the Gale will be less strong which is to bear up your Esteem.
The sight of a drunkard is a better sermon against that vice than the best that was ever preached on that subject.
A very great Memory often forgetteth how much Time is lost by repeating things of no Use.