We should gain more by letting the world see what we are than by trying to seem what we are not.

The man that thinks he loves his mistress for her own sake is mightily mistaken.

Numberless arts appear foolish whose secret motives are most wise and weighty.

Those who give too much attention to trifling things become generally incapable of great ones.

Smallness of mind is the cause of stubbornness, and we do not credit readily what is beyond our view.

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.

We should wish for few things with eagerness, if we perfectly knew the nature of that which was the object of our desire.