Idleness and fear keeps us in the path of duty, but our virtue often gets the praise.

Truth does not do as much good in the world as its imitations do harm.

The violence we do to ourselves in order to remain faithful to the one we love is hardly better than an act of infidelity.

We think very few people sensible, except those who are of our opinion.

The love of new acquaintance comes not so much from being weary of what we had before, or from any satisfaction there is in change, as from the distaste we feel in being too little admired by those that know us too well, and the hope of being more admired by those that know us less.

A man is ridiculous less through the characteristics he has than through those he affects to have.

It is not expedient or wise to examine our friends too closely; few persons are raised in our esteem by a close examination.