Fortune and humor govern the world.

Pride indemnifies itself and loses nothing even when it casts away vanity.

Fortune mends more faults in us than ever reason would be able to do.

The secret of pleasing in conversation is not to explain too much everything; to say them half and leave a little for divination is a mark of the good opinion we have of others, and nothing flatters their self-love more.

A wise man thinks it more advantageous not to join the battle than to win.

Gratitude is like the good faith of traders: it maintains commerce, and we often pay, not because it is just to discharge our debts, but that we may more readily find people to trust us.

There are reproaches which praise, and praises which defame.