Almost everyone takes pleasure in repaying trifling obligations, very many feel gratitude for those that are moderate; but there is scarcely anyone who is not ungrateful for those that are weighty.

No accidents are so unlucky [bad] but that the wise may draw some advantage [good] from them.

We often in our misfortunes take that for constancy and patience which is only dejection of mind; we suffer without daring to holdup our heads, just as cowards let themselves be knocked on the head because they have not courage to strike back.

The violence we do to ourselves in order to remain faithful to the one we love is hardly better than an act of infidelity.

A man's worth has its season, like fruit.

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

All who know their own minds know not their own hearts.