To know oneself is not necessarily to improve oneself

Great names abase, instead of elevating, those who do not know how to bear them.

We arrive at the various stages of life quite as novices.

We should not judge a man's merits by his great qualities, but by the use he makes of them.

Philosophy finds it an easy matter to vanquish past and future evils, but the present are commonly too hard for it.

Few people have the wisdom to prefer the criticism that would do them good, to the praise that deceives them.

Were we faultless, we would not derive such satisfaction from remarking the faults of others.