We should not judge a man's merits by his great qualities, but by the use he makes of them.
As it is the characteristic of great wits to say much in few words, so small wits seem to have the gift of speaking much and saying nothing.
Honest people will respect us for our merit: the public, for our luck.
The passions often engender their contraries.
Of all our faults, the one that we excuse most easily is idleness.
Virtue would not make such advances if there were not a little vanity to keep it company.