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.

The desire to seem clever often keeps us from being so.

Truth has scarce done so much good in the world as the false appearances of it have done hurt.

Kings do with men as with pieces of money; they give them what value they please, and we are obliged to receive them at their current and not at their real value.

Reason alone is insufficient to make us enthusiastic in any matter.

Jealousy is nothing more than a fear of abandonment

One is never as happy or as unhappy as one thinks.