The shame that arises from praise which we do not deserve often makes us do things we should otherwise never have attempted.

As the great ones of this world are unable to bestow health of body or peace of mind, we always pay too high a price for any good they can do.

Most men expose themselves in battle enough to save their honor, few wish to do so more than sufficiently, or than is necessary to make the design for which they expose themselves succeed.

Those great and glorious actions that dazzle our eyes with their luster are represented by statesmen as the result of great wisdomand excellent design; whereas, in truth, they are commonly the effects of the humors and passions.

We only acknowledge small faults in order to make it appear that we are free from great ones.

We forgive just so long as we love.

In the human heart new passions are forever being born; the overthrow of one almost always means the rise of another.