There are many women who have never intrigued, and many men who have never gamed; but those who have done either but once are very extraordinary animals.

As the rays of the sun, notwithstanding their velocity, injure not the eye, by reason of their minuteness, so the attacks of envy, notwithstanding their number, ought not to wound our virtue by reason of their insignificance.

If Satan ever laughs, it must be at hypocrites; they are the greatest dupes he has.

We may lay in a stock of pleasures, as we would lay in a stock of wine, but if defer tasting them too long, we shall find that both are soured by age.

We make a goddess of Fortune ... and place her in the highest heaven. But it is not fortune that is exalted and powerful, but we ourselves that are abject and weak.

We often pretend to fear what we really despise, and more often despise what we really fear.

Bed is a bundle of paradoxes: we go to it with reluctance, yet we quit it with regret.