Nothing ought more to humiliate men who have merited great praise than the care they still take to boast of little things.

There are several remedies which will cure love, but there are no infallible ones.

The passions do very often give birth to others of a nature most contrary to their own. Thus avarice sometimes brings forth prodigality, and prodigality avarice; a man's resolution is very often the effect of levity, and his boldness that of cowardice and fear.

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

A man, in order to establish himself in the world, does everything he can to appear established there.

Self-love increases or diminishes for us the good qualities of our friends, in proportion to the satisfaction we feel with them; and we judge of their merit by the manner in which they act towards us.

Moderation is like sobriety: you would like to have some more, but are afraid of making yourself ill.