The passions do very often give birth to others of a nature most contrary to their own. Thus avarice sometimes brings forth prodigality, and prodigality avarice; a man's resolution is very often the effect of levity, and his boldness that of cowardice and fear.

The only good imitations are those that poke fun at bad originals.

One kind of happiness is to know exactly at what point to be miserable.

Sometimes a fool has talent, but never judgment.

That which makes the vanity of others unbearable to us is that which wounds our own.

Selfishness is the grand moving principle of nine-tenths of our actions.

Even the most disinterested love is, after all, but a kind of bargain, in which self-love always proposes to be the gainer one wayor another.