Passion often makes fools of the wisest men and gives the silliest wisdom.

The contempt of riches in philosophers was only a hidden desire to avenge their merit upon the injustice of fortune, by despising the very goods of which fortune had deprived them; it was a secret to guard themselves against the degradation of poverty, it was a back way by which to arrive at that distinction which they could not gain by riches.

People are often vain of their passions, even of the worst, but envy is a passion so timid and shame-faced that no one ever dare avow her.

All the passions make us commit faults; love makes us commit the most ridiculous ones.

In all aspects of life, we take on a part and an appearance to seem to be what we wish to be--and thus the world is merely composed of actors.

The evil that we do does not attract to us so much persecution and hatred as our good qualities.

Few things are impracticable in themselves; and it is for want of application, rather than of means, that men fail to succeed.