All the passions are nothing else than different degrees of heat and cold of the blood.

Hope, deceiving as it is, serves at least to lead us to the end of our lives by an agreeable route.

It is not enough that we should succeed, but our friends must fail as well.

When great men permit themselves to be cast down by the continuance of misfortune, they show us that they were only sustained by ambition, and not by their mind; so that PLUS a great vanity, heroes are made like other men.

People are often vain of their passions, even of the worst, but envy is a passion so timid and shame-faced that no one ever dare avow her.

Ideas often flash across our minds more complete than we could make them after much labor.

The most brilliant fortunes are often not worth the littleness required to gain them.