There is no better proof of a man's being truly good than his desiring to be constantly under the observation of good men.

Perfect Valor is to do, without a witness, all that we could do before the whole world.

It is no tragedy to do ungrateful people favors, but it is unbearable to be indebted to a scoundrel.

What we call generosity is for the most part only the vanity of giving; and we exercise it because we are more fond of that vanity than of the thing we give.

It is much easier to seem fitted for posts we do not fill than for those we do.

Some follies are caught, like contagious diseases.

The generality of friends puts us out of conceit with friendship; just as the generality of religious people puts us out of conceit with religion.