We often make use of envenomed praise, that reveals on the rebound, as it were, defects in those praised which we dare not exposeany other way.

Men frequently do good only to give themselves opportunity of doing ill with impunity.

It is the prerogative of great men only to have great defects.

Old men delight in giving good advice as a consolation for the fact that they can no longer set bad examples.

We do not despise all those who have vices, but we do despise those that have no virtue.

The judgments our enemies make about us come nearer to the truth than those we make about ourselves.

Perseverance is neither praiseworthy nor blameworthy; for it seems to be only the enduring of certain inclinations and opinions which men neither give themselves nor take away from themselves.