Instead of considering that the worst way to persuade or please others is to try thus strongly to please ourselves, and that to listen well and to answer well are some of the greatest charms we can have in conversation.

There are persons whose only merit consists in saying and doing stupid things at the right time, and who ruin all if they change their manners.

Hope and fear are inseparable.

Our concern for the loss of our friends is not always from a sense of their worth, but rather of our own need of them and that we have lost some who had a good opinion of us.

Philosophy easily triumphs over past and future ills; but present ills triumph over philosophy.

Constancy in love is of two sorts: One is the effect of new excellencies that are always presenting themselves afresh, and attractour affections continually; the other is only from a point of honor, and a taking of pride not to change.

Nothing is given so profusely as advice.