Virtue would go far if vanity did not keep it company.

Some good qualities are like the senses: Those who are entirely deprived of them can have no notion of them.

He who imagines he can do without the world deceives himself much; but he who fancies the world cannot do without him is still more mistaken.

There are no accidents so unlucky from which clever people are not able to reap some advantage, and none so lucky that the foolish are not able to turn them to their own disadvantage.

Fearlessness is a more than ordinary strength of mind, which raises the soul above the troubles, disorders, and emotions which theprospect of great dangers are used to produce. And by this inward strength it is that heroes preserve themselves in a calm and quiet state, and enjoy a presence of mind and the free use of their reason in the midst of those terrible accidents that amaze and confound other people.

In order to succeed in the world people do their upmost to appear successful.

What we cut off from our other faults is very often but so much added to our pride.