Nothing is more contagious than example, and no man does any exceeding good or exceeding ill but it spawns new deeds of the same kind. The good we imitate through emulation, the ill through the malignity of our nature, which shame keeps locked up, but example sets free.

It is necessary, in order to know things well, to know the particulars of them; and these, being infinite, make our knowledge eversuperficial and imperfect.

The boldest stroke and best act of friendship is not to disclose our own failings to a friend, but to show him his own.

There are few things we should keenly desire if we really knew what we wanted.

We often brag that we are never bored with ourselves, and are so vain as never to think ourselves bad company.

Some good qualities are like the senses: Those who are entirely deprived of them can have no notion of them.

It is with certain good qualities as with the senses; those who have them not can neither appreciate nor comprehend them in others.