Pride indemnifies itself and loses nothing even when it casts away vanity.

Our distrust of another justifies his deceit.

Virtues lose themselves in self-interest, as rivers in the sea.

Nothing prevents one from appearing natural as the desire to appear natural.

The moderation of men in the most exalted fortunes is a desire to be thought above those things that have raised them so high.

We are not fond of praising, and never praise any one except from interested motives. Praise is a clever, concealed, and delicate flattery, which gratifies in different ways the giver and the receiver. The one takes it as a recompense of his merit, and the other bestows it to display his equity and discernment.

To understand matters rightly we should understand their details; and as that knowledge is almost infinite, our knowledge is always superficial and imperfect.