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.

We should often blush at our noblest deeds if the world were to see all their underlying motives.

Most of our faults are more pardonable than the means we use to conceal them.

A man is ridiculous less through the characteristics he has than through those he affects to have.

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.

When our vices leave us, we like to imagine it is we who are leaving them.

Before strongly desiring anything, we should look carefully into the happiness of its present owner.