The thing that makes our friendships so short and changeable is that the qualities and dispositions of the soul are very hard to know, and those of the understanding and wit very easy.

Few things are impracticable in themselves; and it is for want of application, rather than of means, that men fail to succeed.

We arrive at the various stages of life quite as novices.

There is many a virtuous woman weary of her trade.

None deserve praise for being good who have not the spirit to be bad: goodness, for the most part, is nothing but indolence or weakness of will.

It is harder to hide the feelings we have than to feign the ones we do not have.

Friendship is only a reciprocal conciliation of interests, and an exchange of good offices; it is a species of commerce out of which self-love always expects to gain something.