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

It is a species of coquetry to make a parade of never practising it.

It is more often from pride than from ignorance that we are so obstinately opposed to current opinions; we find the first places taken, and we do not want to be the last.

Friendship is only a reciprocal conciliation of interests, and an exchange of good offices; it is a species of commerce out of which self-love always expects to gain something.

There may be talent without position, but there is no position without some kind of talent.

The grace of novelty and the length of habit, though so very opposite to one another, yet agree in this, that they both alike keepus from discovering the faults of our friends.

The art of putting into play mediocre qualities often begets more reputation than is achieved by true merit.