The desire of appearing clever often prevents our becoming so.
Tastes in young people are changed by natural impetuosity, and in the aged are preserved by habit.
Innocence is lucky if it finds the same protection as guilt
We are never so ridiculous through what we are as through what we pretend to be.
The caprice of our temper is even more whimsical than that of Fortune.
Truth is the foundation and the reason of the perfection of beauty, for of whatever stature a thing may be, it cannot be beautiful-and perfect, unless it be truly what it should be, and possess truly all that it should have.