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.

We should not judge a man's merits by his great qualities, but by the use he makes of them.

A lofty mind always thinks nobly, it easily creates vivid, agreeable, and natural fancies, places them in their best light, clothes them with all appropriate adornments, studies others' tastes, and clears away from its own thoughts all that is useless and disagreeable.

What we call generosity is for the most part only the vanity of giving; and we exercise it because we are more fond of that vanity than of the thing we give.

We often are consoled by our want of reason for misfortunes that reason could not have comforted.

When we are unable to find tranquility within ourselves, it is useless to seek it elsewhere.

Self-interest makes some people blind, and others sharp-sighted.