The judgments our enemies make about us come nearer to the truth than those we make about ourselves.

The only good imitations are those that poke fun at bad originals.

Gratitude is like credit; it is the backbone of our relations; frequently we pay our debts not because equity demands that we should, but to facilitate future loans.

In the intercourse of life, we please more by our faults than by our good qualities.

A man is sometimes better off deceived about the one he loves, than undeceived.

The generality of men have, like plants, latent properties, which chance brings to light.

If we had no faults, we would not derive so much pleasure from noting those of other people.