Perfect courage is to do without witnesses what one would be capable of doing with the world looking on.

A wise man thinks it more advantageous not to join the battle than to win.

What renders us so changeable in our friendship is, that it is difficult to know the qualities of the soul, but easy to know those of the mind.

The secret of pleasing in conversation is not to explain too much everything; to say them half and leave a little for divination is a mark of the good opinion we have of others, and nothing flatters their self-love more.

Nothing is given so profusely as advice.

The desire to seem clever often keeps us from being so.

Extreme boredom provides its own antidote.