Consolation for unhappiness can often be found in a certain satisfaction we get from looking unhappy.

In the human heart there is a ceaseless birth of passions, so that the destruction of one is almost always the establishment of another.

The gratitude of most men is but a secret desire of receiving greater benefits.

There are various sorts of curiosity; one is from interest, which makes us desire to know that which may be useful to us; and the other, from pride which comes from the wish to know what others are ignorant of.

In all professions each affects a look and an exterior to appear what he wishes the world to believe that he is. Thus we may say that the whole world is made up of appearances.

To establish oneself in the world, one does all one can to seem established there already.

Some people resemble ballads which are only sung for a certain time.