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

True bravery is shown by performing without witness what one might be capable of doing before all the world.

Most people judge men by their success or their good fortune.

No matter how much care we put into hiding our passions under the appearances of devotion and honor, they can always be seen to peer out through these covers.

Repentance is not so much remorse for what we have done as the fear of the consequences.

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 exceeding delight we take in talking about ourselves should give us cause to fear that we are giving but very little pleasureto our listeners.