Listening well and answering well is one of the greatest perfections that can be obtained in conversation.

The fondness or indifference that the philosophers expressed for life was merely a preference inspired by their self-love, and will no more bear reasoning upon than the relish of the palate or the choice of colors.

The art of using moderate abilities to advantage often brings greater results than actual brilliance

Some accidents there are in life that a little folly is necessary to help us out of.

Ideas often flash across our minds more complete than we could make them after much labor.

We think very few people sensible, except those who are of our opinion.

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.