There are few virtuous women who are not bored with their trade.

He who lives without folly isn't so wise as he thinks.

Whatever discoveries we may have made in the regions of self-love, there still remain many unknown lands.

Youth changes its tastes by the warmth of its blood; age retains its tastes by habit.

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.

Sincerity is a certain openness of heart. It is to be found in very few, and what we commonly look upon to be so is only a cunningsort of dissimulation, to insinuate ourselves into the confidence of others.

What we take for virtue is often nothing but an assemblage of different actions, and of different interests, that fortune or our industry knows how to arrange.