Moderation is caused by the fear of exciting the envy and contempt which those merit who are intoxicated with their good fortune; it is a vain display of our strength of mind, and in short the moderation of men at their greatest height is only a desire to appear greater than their fortune.

Almost everyone takes pleasure in repaying trifling obligations, very many feel gratitude for those that are moderate; but there is scarcely anyone who is not ungrateful for those that are weighty.

Love of fame, fear of disgrace, schemes for advancement, desire to make life comfortable and pleasant, and the urge to humiliate others are often at the root of the valour men hold in such high esteem.

Gratitude is a lively sense of benefits to come.

In friendship as well as love, ignorance very often contributes more to our happiness than knowledge.

There is scarcely any man sufficiently clever to appreciate all the evil he does.

We are eager to believe that others are flawed because we are eager to believe in what we wish for.