Clemency, which we make a virtue of, proceeds sometimes from vanity, sometimes from indolence, often from fear, and almost always from a mixture of all three.

Jealousy is always born with love, but does not die with it. In jealousy there is more of self-love than of love to another.

The evil that we do does not attract to us so much persecution and hatred as our good qualities.

It is not always for virtue's sake that women are virtuous.

In misfortune we often mistake dejection for constancy; we bear it without daring to look on it; like cowards, who suffer themselves to be murdered without resistance.

The best way to rise in society is to use all possible means of persuading people that one has already risen in society.

Whatever pretext we may give for our affections, often it is only interest and vanity which cause them.