Repentance is not so much remorse for what we have done as the fear of the consequences.

The world more often rewards the appearances of merit than merit itself.

Our enemies' opinion of us comes closer to the truth than our own.

In the misfortunes of our best friends we always find something not altogether displeasing to us.

Nothing is rarer than true good nature; they who are reputed to have it are generally only pliant or weak.

When our vices leave us, we like to imagine it is we who are leaving them.

The reason we bitterly hate those who deceive us is because they think they are cleverer than we are.