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

When fortune surprises us by giving us some great office without having gradually led us to expect it, or without having raised our hopes, it is well nigh impossible to occupy it well, and to appear worthy to fill it.

Some weak people are so sensible of their weakness as to be able to make a good use of it.

Those only are despicable who fear to be despised.

If we had no faults, we would not derive so much pleasure from noting those of other people.

In great affairs we ought to apply ourselves less to creating chances than to profiting from those that offer.

It is given to few persons to keep this secret well. Those who lay down rules too often break them, and the safest we are able to give is to listen much, to speak little, and to say nothing that that will ever give ground or regret.