The heart of man ever finds a constant succession of passions, so that the destroying and pulling down of one proves generally tobe nothing else but the production and the setting up of another.

What makes us so bitter against people who outwit us is that they think themselves cleverer than we are.

The generality of friends puts us out of conceit with friendship; just as the generality of religious people puts us out of conceit with religion.

Tastes in young people are changed by natural impetuosity, and in the aged are preserved by habit.

We often act treacherously more from weakness than from a fixed motive.

All men are equally proud. The only difference is that not all take the same methods of showing it.

Absence cools moderate passions, and inflames violent ones; just as the wind blows out candles, but kindles fires.