Of all our faults, the one that we excuse most easily is idleness.

The extreme delight we experience in talking about ourselves should warn us that those who listen do not share it.

Vanity, shame, and above all disposition, often make men brave and women chaste.

We should wish for few things with eagerness, if we perfectly knew the nature of that which was the object of our desire.

Jealousy is the greatest of all evils, and the one that arouses the least pity in the person who causes it.

What seems to be generosity is often no more than disguised ambition, which overlooks a small interest in order to secure a great one.

Solemnity is a device of the body to hide the faults of the mind.