We feel good and ill only in proportion to our self-love.

Wit sometimes enables us to act rudely with impunity.

Fortunate persons hardly ever amend their ways: they always imagine that they are in the right when fortune upholds their bad conduct.

Small minds are much distressed by little things. Great minds see them all but are not upset by them.

Self-love is the love of a man's own self, and of everything else for his own sake. It makes people idolaters to themselves, and tyrants to all the world besides.

Those great and glorious actions that dazzle our eyes with their luster are represented by statesmen as the result of great wisdomand excellent design; whereas, in truth, they are commonly the effects of the humors and passions.

To establish yourself in the world a person must do all they can to appear already established.