True felicity consists of its own consciousness.

Vices are often habits rather than passions.

To lose one's self in reverie, one must be either very happy, or very unhappy. Reverie is the child of extremes.

There is even the dignity of vice.

Reason is an historian, but the passions are actors.

The absolute ruler may be a Nero, but he is sometimes a Titus or Marc Aurelius; the people is often Nero, but never Marc Aurelius.

Reason is the historian, but passions are the actors.