Our self-love can less bear to have our tastes than our opinions condemned.

A certain harmony should be kept between actions and ideas if we want to fully develop the effects they can produce.

Men and things have each their proper perspective; to judge rightly of some it is necessary to see them near, of others we can never judge rightly but at a distance.

Intrepidity is an extraordinary strength of soul, which raises it above the troubles, disorders and emotions which the sight of great perils can arouse in it; by this strength heroes maintain a calm aspect and preserve their reason and liberty in the most surprising and terrible accidents.

A man would rather say evil of himself than say nothing.

They that apply themselves to trifling matters commonly become incapable of great ones.

Penetration has an air of divination; it pleases our vanity more than any other quality of the mind.