The surest way to be deceived is to consider oneself cleverer than others.

We give advice, we do not inspire conduct.

We should only affect compassion, and carefully avoid having any.

In the intercourse of life, we please more by our faults than by our good qualities.

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

Moderation is represented as a virtue in order to restrain the ambition of great men, and to console those of a meaner condition in their lesser merit and fortune.

Our good qualities expose us more to hatred and persecution than all the ill we do.