In love the deceit generally outstrips the distrust.

Nothing hinders a thing from being natural so much as the straining ourselves to make it seem so.

The appearances of goodness and merit often meet with a greater reward from the world than goodness and merit themselves.

When the soul is ruffled by the remains of one passion, it is more disposed to entertain a new one than when it is entirely curedand at rest from all.

We often pride ourselves on even the most criminal passions, but envy is a timid and shamefaced passion we never dare to acknowledge.

Silence is the best security to the man who distrusts himself.

If vanity does not entirely overthrow the virtues, at least it makes them all totter.