Nature seems at each man's birth to have marked out the bounds of his virtues and vices, and to have determined how good or how wicked that man shall be capable of being.

What we take for virtue is often nothing but an assemblage of different actions, and of different interests, that fortune or our industry knows how to arrange.

Some people resemble ballads which are only sung for a certain time.

There are certain people fated to be fools; they not only commit follies by choice, but are even constrained to do so by fortune.

It is no tragedy to do ungrateful people favors, but it is unbearable to be indebted to a scoundrel.

It is as proper to have pride in oneself as it ridiculous to show it to others.

Satire is at once the most agreeable and most dangerous of mental qualities. It always pleases when it is refined, but we always fear those who use it too much; yet satire should be allowed when unmixed with spite, and when the person satirized can join in the satire.