Happiness is in the taste, and not in the things themselves; we are happy from possessing what we like, not from possessing what others like.

Moderation is caused by the fear of exciting the envy and contempt which those merit who are intoxicated with their good fortune; it is a vain display of our strength of mind, and in short the moderation of men at their greatest height is only a desire to appear greater than their fortune.

Gratitude, in most men, is only a strong and secret hope of greater favors.

What is called liberality is often merely the vanity of giving.

A man for whom accident discovers sense, is not a rational being. A man only is so who understands, who distinguishes, who tests it.

Nothing is rarer than true good nature; they who are reputed to have it are generally only pliant or weak.

There are crimes which become innocent and even glorious through their splendor, number and excess.