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

Those who are overreached by our cunning are far from appearing to us as ridiculous as we appear to ourselves when the cunning of others has overreached us.

The best way to rise in society is to use all possible means of persuading people that one has already risen in society.

Humility is often a false front we employ to gain power over others.

Gratitude, in most men, is only a strong and secret hope of greater favors.

A man is sometimes better off deceived about the one he loves, than undeceived.

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