A statesman gains little by the arbitrary exercise of iron-clad authority upon all occasions that offer, for this wounds the just pride of his subordinates, and thus tends to undermine his strength.

A little concession, now and then, where it can do no harm, is the wiser policy.
Now that the queen was at ease in her mind once more, and measurably happy, her wine naturally began to assert itself again, and it got a little the start of her.

I mean it set her music going--her silver bell of a tongue.

Dear me, she was a master talker.

It would not become me to suggest that it was pretty late and that I was a tired man and very sleepy.