Self-love is the love of a man's own self, and of everything else for his own sake. It makes people idolaters to themselves, and tyrants to all the world besides.

There are certain people fated to be fools; they not only commit follies by choice, but are even constrained to do so by fortune.

Wit sometimes enables us to act rudely with impunity.

We do not wish ardently for what we desire only through reason.

Generally speaking, we would make a good bargain by renouncing all the good that people say of us, upon condition they would say no ill.

Moderation is represented as a virtue in order to restrain the ambition of great men, and to console those of a meaner condition in their lesser merit and fortune.

Timidity is a fault for which it is dangerous to reprove persons whom we wish to correct of it.