Those great and glorious actions that dazzle our eyes with their luster are represented by statesmen as the result of great wisdomand excellent design; whereas, in truth, they are commonly the effects of the humors and passions.

Constancy in love is a perpetual inconstancy which fixes our hearts successively to all the qualities of the person loved--sometimes admiring one and sometimes another above all the rest--so that this constancy roves as far as it can, and is no better than inconstancy, confined within the compass of one person.

The greatest part of intimate confidences proceed from a desire either to be pitied or admired.

What makes the pain we feel from shame and jealousy so cutting is that vanity can give us no assistance in bearing them.

Decency is the least of all laws, but yet it is the law which is most strictly observed.

Old age is a tyrant, who forbids, under pain of death, the pleasures of youth.

Silence is the best security to the man who distrusts himself.