The cunningest dissimulation is when a man pretends to be caught in the traps others set for him; and a man is never so easily over-reached as when he is contriving to over-reach others.

It takes more strength of character to withstand good fortune than bad.

The most ingenious men continually pretend to condemn tricking--but this is often done that they may use it more conveniently themselves, when some great occasion or interest offers itself to them.

Our probity is not less at the mercy of fortune than our property.

The violence done us by others is often less painful than that which we do to ourselves.

Few things are impracticable in themselves; and it is for want of application, rather than of means, that men fail to succeed.

The whimsicalness of our own humor is a thousand times more fickle and unaccountable than what we blame so much in fortune.