If it requires great tact to speak to the purpose, it requires no less to know when to be silent.

The hate of favourites is only a love of favour. The envy of NOT possessing it, consoles and softens its regrets by the contempt it evinces for those who possess it, and we refuse them our homage, not being able to detract from them what attracts that of the rest of the world.

The desire to be thought clever often prevents a man from becoming so.

Loyalty is in most people only a ruse used by self-interest to attract confidence.

Great names abase, instead of elevating, those who do not know how to bear them.

The desire to seem clever often keeps us from being so.

Gratitude is a useless word. You will find it in a dictionary but not in life.