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.

We often do shallow good in order to accomplish evil with impunity.

It is not enough that we should succeed, but our friends must fail as well.

We are much mistaken if we think that men are always brave from a principle of valor, or women chaste from a principle of modesty.

We are never so ridiculous through what we are as through what we pretend to be.

The breeding we give young people is ordinarily but an additional self-love, by which we make them have a better opinion of themselves.

If there be a love pure and free from the admixture of our other passions, it is that which lies hidden in the bottom of our heart, and which we know not ourselves.