Our wisdom lies as much at the mercy of fortune as our possessions do.

The reason why most women have so little sense of friendship is that this is but a cold and flat passion to those that have felt that of love.

That good disposition which boasts of being most tender is often stifled by the least urging of self-interest.

Flattery is false money, which would not be current were it not for our vanity.

Hope and fear are inseparable. There is no hope without fear, nor any fear without hope.

Being a blockhead is sometimes the best security against being cheated by a man of wit.

To establish oneself in the world, one does all one can to seem established there already.