It is the prerogative of great men only to have great defects.

It is much better to learn to deal with the ills we have now than to speculate on those that may befall us.

The desire to seem clever often keeps us from being so.

Moderation is like sobriety: you would like to have some more, but are afraid of making yourself ill.

The measure of great men should always be measured by the means they have used to acquire it.

Prudence and love are inconsistent; in proportion as the last increases, the other decreases.

All the passions are nothing else than different degrees of heat and cold of the blood.