Idleness and constancy fix the mind to what it finds easy and agreeable. This habit always confines and cramps up our knowledge; and no one has ever taken the trouble to stretch and carry his understanding as far as it could go.

One man may be more cunning than another, but no one can be more cunning than all the world.

We often forgive those who bore us, but we cannot forgive those whom we bore.

We are so accustomed to disguise ourselves to others that in the end we become disguised to ourselves.

Jealousy is in some measure just and reasonable, since it merely aims at keeping something that belongs to us or we think belongsto us, whereas envy is a frenzy that cannot bear anything that belongs to others.

The vices enter into the composition of the virtues, as poisons into that of medicines. Prudence collects and arranges them, and uses them beneficially against the ills of life.

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