It is not always for virtue's sake that women are virtuous.

The cunningest dissimulation is when a man pretends to be caught in the traps others set for him; and a man is never so easily over-reached as when he is contriving to over-reach others.

There are no accidents so unlucky from which clever people are not able to reap some advantage, and none so lucky that the foolish are not able to turn them to their own disadvantage.

Men frequently do good only to give themselves opportunity of doing ill with impunity.

It is easier to deceive yourself, and to do so unperceived, than to deceive another.

It is great folly to wish to be wise all alone.

Those who are incapable of committing great crimes do not readily suspect them in others.