Not all those who know their minds know their hearts as well.

The good or the bad fortune of men depends not less upon their own dispositions than upon fortune.

Before strongly desiring anything, we should look carefully into the happiness of its present owner.

We would frequently be ashamed of our good deeds if people saw all of the motives that produced 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.

We always like those who admire us.

It is necessary, in order to know things well, to know the particulars of them; and these, being infinite, make our knowledge eversuperficial and imperfect.