We would rather see those to whom we do good, than those who do good to us.

Plenty of people want to be pious, but no one yearns to be humble.

What is called liberality is often merely the vanity of giving.

L'absence diminue les mediocres passions, et augmente les grandes,comme le vent eteint les bougies, et allume le feu. Absence diminishes commonplace passions, and increases great ones, as wind extinguishes candles and kindles fire.

It is no tragedy to do ungrateful people favors, but it is unbearable to be indebted to a scoundrel.

Good taste comes more from the judgment than from the mind.

If we are incapable of finding peace in ourselves, it is pointless to search elsewhere.