The measure of great men should always be measured by the means they have used to acquire it.

Men never desire anything very eagerly which they desire only by the dictates of reason.

The whimsicalness of our own humor is a thousand times more fickle and unaccountable than what we blame so much in fortune.

We often make use of envenomed praise, that reveals on the rebound, as it were, defects in those praised which we dare not exposeany other way.

A man often believes himself leader when he is led; as his mind endeavors to reach one goal, his heart insensibly drags him towards another.

Envy is destroyed by true friendship, as coquetry by true love.

What we cut off from our other faults is very often but so much added to our pride.