Every fool stands convinced; and everyone convinced is a fool. The faultier a person's judgement the firmer their convictions.

Begin with another's to end with your own.

Nature scarcely ever gives us the very best; for that we must have recourse to art.

To be at ease is better than to be at business. Nothing really belongs to us but time, which you have even if you have nothing else.

You can cultivate taste, as you can the intellect. Full understanding whets the appetite and desire, and, later, sharpens the enjoyment of possession.

He that communicates his secret to another makes himself that other's slave.

Keep the extent of your abilities unknown.The wise man does not allow his knowledge and abilities to be sounded to the bottom, if he desires to be honored at all. He allows you to know them but not to comprehend them. No one must know the extent of his abilities, lest he be disappointed. No one ever has an opportunity of fathoming him entirely. For guesses and doubts about the extent of his talents arouse more veneration than accurate knowledge of them, be they ever so great.