He that fancies such a sufficiency in himself that he can live without all the world is greatly mistaken; but he that imagines himself so necessary that other people cannot live without him is a great deal more mistaken.

We often credit ourselves with vices the reverse of what we have, thus when weak we boast of our obstinacy.

We are almost always bored by just those whom we must not find boring.

Our enemies' opinion of us comes closer to the truth than our own.

Few things are impossible in themselves: application to make them succeed fails us more often than the means.

Our aversion to lying is commonly a secret ambition to make what we say considerable, and have every word received with a religious respect.

The person giving the advice returns the confidence placed in him with a disinterested eagerness... and he is usually guided only by his own interest or reputation.