To praise princes for virtues they do not possess is to insult them without fear of consequences.

There is such a thing as a general revolution which changes the taste of men as it changes the fortunes of the world.

He that fancies such a sufficiency in himself that he can live without all the world is greatly mistaken; but he that imagines himself so necessary that other people cannot live without him is a great deal more mistaken.

However greatly we distrust the sincerity of those we converse with, yet still we think they tell more truth to us than to anyone else.

The intention of never deceiving often exposes us to deception.

There are few things we should keenly desire if we really knew what we wanted.

Great men's honor ought always to be measured by the methods they made use of in attaining it.