It is a mighty error to suppose that none but violent and strong passions, such as love and ambition, are able to vanquish the rest. Even idleness, as feeble and languishing as it is, sometimes reigns over them; it usurps the throne and sits paramount over all the designs and actions of our lives, and imperceptibly wastes and destroys all our passions and all our virtues.

It is not always for virtue's sake that women are virtuous.

Few people have the wisdom to prefer the criticism that would do them good, to the praise that deceives them.

Our enemies come nearer the truth in the opinions they form of us than we do in our opinion of ourselves.

One is never fortunate or as unfortunate as one imagines.

The intention of never deceiving often exposes us to deception.

We often select envenomed praise which, by a reaction upon those we praise, shows faults we could not have shown by other means.