When the philosophers despised riches, it was because they had a mind to vindicate their own merit, and take revenge upon the injustice of fortune by vilifying those enjoyments which she had not given them.

Affected simplicity is an elegant imposture.

Jealousy springs more from love of self than from love of another.

We get so much in the habit of wearing disguises before others that we finally appear disguised before ourselves.

Avarice misapprehends itself almost always. There is no passion which more often will miss its aim, nor upon which the present has so much influence to the prejudice of the future.

The extreme pleasure we take in speaking of ourselves should make us apprehensive that it gives hardly any to those who listen to us.

The reason that lovers never weary each other is because they are always talking about themselves.