Pride is pleasure arising from a man's thinking too highly of himself.

Minds are not conquered by force, but by love and high-mindedness.

I have made a ceaseless effort not to ridicule, not to bewail, not to scorn human actions, but to understand them.

None are more taken in by flattery than the proud, who wish to be the first and are not.

In regard to intellect and true virtue, every nation is on a par with the rest, and God has not in these respects chosen one people rather than another.

He who lives according to the guidance of reason strives as much as possible to repay the hatred, anger, or contempt of others towards himself with love or generosity. ...hatred is increased by reciprocal hatred, and, on the other hand, can be extinguished by love, so that hatred passes into love.

All the objects pursued by the multitude not only bring no remedy that tends to preserve our being, but even act as hinderances, causing the death not seldom of those who possess them, and always of those who are possessed by them.