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.

Affected simplicity is an elegant imposture.

We should desire very few things passionately if we did but perfectly know the nature of the things we desire.

The soul's maladies have their relapses like the body's. What we take for a cure is often just a momentary rally or a new form of the disease.

To praise princes for virtues they do not possess is to insult them without fear of consequences.

Our enemies come nearer the truth in the opinions they form of us than we do in our opinion of ourselves.

One can find women who have never had one love affair, but it is rare indeed to find any who have had only one.