The fondness or indifference that the philosophers expressed for life was merely a preference inspired by their self-love, and will no more bear reasoning upon than the relish of the palate or the choice of colors.

The prospect of being pleased tomorrow will never console me for the boredom of today.

It is much easier to seem fitted for posts we do not fill than for those we do.

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.

That man, we may be sure, is a person of true worth, whom those who envy him most are yet forced to praise.

Truth does not do as much good in the world as its imitations do harm.

However much we may distrust men's sincerity, we always believe they speak to us more sincerely than to others.