To listen closely and reply well is the highest perfection we are able to attain in the art of conversation.

A woman often thinks she regrets the lover, when she only regrets the love.

We exaggerate the glory of some men in order to detract from that of others.

The reason why so few people are agreeable in conversation is that each is thinking more about what he intends to say than others are saying.

A man is ridiculous less through the characteristics he has than through those he affects to have.

It is with true love as it is with ghosts; everyone talks about it, but few have seen it.

Moderation is caused by the fear of exciting the envy and contempt which those merit who are intoxicated with their good fortune; it is a vain display of our strength of mind, and in short the moderation of men at their greatest height is only a desire to appear greater than their fortune.