Hope and fear are inseparable. There is no hope without fear, nor any fear without hope.

Moderation is a fear of falling into that envy and contempt which those who grow giddy with their good fortune quite justly draw upon themselves. It is a vain boasting of the greatness of our mind.

In the human heart new passions are forever being born; the overthrow of one almost always means the rise of another.

Moderation in people who are contented comes from that calm that good fortune lends to their spirit.

The name and pretense of virtue is as serviceable to self-interest as are real vices.

One should treat one's fate as one does one's health; enjoy it when it is good, be patient with it when it is poor, and never attempt any drastic cure save as an ultimate resort.

What makes us so often discontented with those who transact business for us is that they almost always abandon the interest of their friends for the interest of the business, because they wish to have the honor of succeeding in that which they have undertaken.