No one demands more caution than a spy, and when someone has the skeleton key to minds, counter him by leaving the key of caution inside, on the other side of the keyhole.
All men are idolators, some of fame, others of self-interest, most of pleasure.
A gilded No is more satisfactory than a dry Yes.
Hope has a good memory, gratitude a bad one.
A single lie destroys a whole reputation for integrity.
You can cultivate taste, as you can the intellect. Full understanding whets the appetite and desire, and, later, sharpens the enjoyment of possession.