We sometimes imagine we hate flattery, but we only hate the way we are flattered.

Solemnity is a device of the body to hide the faults of the mind.

It is with an old love as it is with old age a man lives to all the miseries, but is dead to all the pleasures.

Idleness and fear keeps us in the path of duty, but our virtue often gets the praise.

Few are sufficiently wise to prefer censure which is useful to praise which is treacherous.

The duration of our passions is no more dependent on ourselves than the duration of our lives.

The happiness and unhappiness of men depends as much on their ethics as on fortune.