Everyone praises his heart, none dare praise their understanding.

The passions are the only orators that always persuade: they are, as it were, a natural art, the rules of which are infallible; and the simplest man with passion is more persuasive than the most eloquent without it.

When we seek reconciliation with our enemies, it is commonly out of a desire to better our own condition, a being harassed and tired out with a state of war, and a fear of some ill accident which we are willing to prevent.

What is called generosity is usually only the vanity of giving; we enjoy the vanity more than the thing given.

Narrow minds think nothing right that is above their own capacity.

No man can love a second time the person whom he has once truly ceased to love.

Those who are overreached by our cunning are far from appearing to us as ridiculous as we appear to ourselves when the cunning of others has overreached us.