Chance corrects us of many faults that reason would not know how to correct.

The only thing that should astonish us is that anything can yet astonish us.

The passions are the only orators that always persuade: they are, as it were, a natural art, the rules of which are infallible; and the simplest man with passion is more persuasive than the most eloquent without it.

We sometimes differ more widely from ourselves than we do from others.

Smallness of mind is the cause of stubbornness, and we do not credit readily what is beyond our view.

We do not wish ardently for what we desire only through reason.

We often do shallow good in order to accomplish evil with impunity.