The appearances of goodness and merit often meet with a greater reward from the world than goodness and merit themselves.

Youth changes its tastes by the warmth of its blood; age retains its tastes by habit.

Men would not live in society long if they were not each others dupes.

Behind many acts that are thought ridiculous there lie wise and weighty motives.

As great minds have the faculty of saying a great deal in a few words, so lesser minds have a talent of talking much, and saying nothing.

The most effectual way to be deceived is to believe oneself more cunning than one's neighbors.

Jealousy is not love, but self-love.