We are not fond of praising, and never praise any one except from interested motives. Praise is a clever, concealed, and delicate flattery, which gratifies in different ways the giver and the receiver. The one takes it as a recompense of his merit, and the other bestows it to display his equity and discernment.

We often see malefactors, when they are led to execution, put on resolution and a contempt of death which, in truth, is nothing else but fearing to look it in the face--so that this pretended bravery may very truly be said to do the same good office to their mind that the blindfold does to their eyes.

Flattery is a kind of bad money, to which our vanity gives us currency.

If you cannot find peace in yourself, it is useless to look for it elsewhere.

The gratitude of most men is but a secret desire of receiving greater benefits.

Perfect valour consists in doing without witnesses that which we would be capable of doing before everyone.

It is a common fault never to be satisfied with our fortune, nor dissatisfied with our understanding.