It is impossible to love a second time what we have really ceased to love.

He who imagines he can do without the world deceives himself much; but he who fancies the world cannot do without him is still more mistaken.

It is only persons of firmness that can have real gentleness. Those who appear gentle are, in general, only a weak character, which easily changes into asperity.

Few are sufficiently wise to prefer censure which is useful to praise which is treacherous.

A wise man thinks it more advantageous not to join the battle than to win.

Neither the sun nor death can be looked at steadily.

Those who are condemned to death affect sometimes a constancy and contempt for death which is only the fear of facing it; so that one may say that this constancy and contempt are to their mind what the bandage is to their eyes.