The most violent passions sometimes leave us at rest, but vanity agitates us constantly.

A readiness to believe ill of others, before we have duly examined it, is the effect of laziness and pride. We are eager to find aculprit, and loath to give ourselves the trouble of examining the crime.

Men's happiness and misery depends altogether as much upon their own humor as it does upon fortune.

Nothing ought more to humiliate men who have merited great praise than the care they still take to boast of little things.

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

The happiness and misery of men depend no less on temper than fortune.

The intention of never deceiving often exposes us to deception.