The fame of great men ought to be judged always by their big, fancy names.

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

The contempt of riches in philosophers was only a hidden desire to avenge their merit upon the injustice of fortune, by despising the very goods of which fortune had deprived them; it was a secret to guard themselves against the degradation of poverty, it was a back way by which to arrive at that distinction which they could not gain by riches.

It is not always for virtue's sake that women are virtuous.

The health of the soul is something we can be no more sure of than that of the body; and though a man may seem far from the passions, yet he is in as much danger of falling into them as one in a perfect state of health of having a fit of sickness.

The desire of talking of ourselves, and showing those faults we do not mind having seen, makes up a good part of our sincerity.

In love we often doubt what we most believe.