It is easier to understand mankind in general than any individual man.

The great interests of man: air and light, the joy of having a body, the voluptuousness of looking.

We often persuade ourselves to love people who are more powerful than we are, yet interest alone produces our friendship; we do not give our hearts away for the good we wish to do, but for that we expect to receive.

Sometimes we think we dislike flattery, but it is only the way it is done that we dislike.

Avarice is more directly opposed to thrift than generosity is.

The reason we bitterly hate those who deceive us is because they think they are cleverer than we are.

We have no patience with other people's vanity because it is offensive to our own.