Absence abates a moderate passion and intensifies a great one - as the wind blows out a candle but fans fire into flame.

A man is ridiculous less through the characteristics he has than through those he affects to have.

What often prevents our abandoning ourselves to a single vice is, our having more than one.

Perfect valour consists in doing without witnesses that which we would be capable of doing before everyone.

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

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

The constancy of the wise is only the art of keeping disquietude to one's self.