Gratitude is merely the secret hope of further favors.

People always complain about their memories, never about their minds.

The greater part of mankind judge of men only by their fashionableness or their fortune.

Nothing is impossible; there are ways that lead to everything, and if we had sufficient will we should always have sufficient means. It is often merely for an excuse that we say things are impossible.

A man's happiness or unhappiness depends as much on his temperament as on his destiny.

People that are conceited of their own merit take pride in being unfortunate, that themselves and others may think them considerable enough to be the envy and the mark of fortune.

However great the advantages given us by nature, it is not she alone, but fortune with her, which makes heroes.