Humility is often only the putting on of a submissiveness by which men hope to bring other people to submit to them; it is a morecalculated sort of pride, which debases itself with a design of being exalted; and though this vice transform itself into a thousand several shapes, yet the disguise is never more effectual nor more capable of deceiving the world than when concealed under a form of humility.

Few things are impossible in themselves: application to make them succeed fails us more often than the means.

A true friend is the greatest of all blessings, and that which we take the least care of all to acquire.

There is great skill in knowing how to conceal one's skill.

Love often leads on to ambition, but seldom does one return from ambition to love.

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

There are crimes which become innocent and even glorious through their splendor, number and excess.