The pleasure of love is in loving; we are happier in the passion we feel than in what we inspire.

Fortune makes our virtues and vices visible, just as light does the objects of sight.

Loyalty is in most people only a ruse used by self-interest to attract confidence.

Our minds are lazier than our bodies.

The vices enter into the composition of the virtues, as poisons into that of medicines. Prudence collects and arranges them, and uses them beneficially against the ills of life.

Some disguised deceits counterfeit truth so perfectly that not to be taken in by them would be an error of judgment.

We often persuade ourselves to love people who are more powerful than we are, yet interest alone produces our friendship; we do not give our hearts away for the good we wish to do, but for that we expect to receive.