Virtues lose themselves in self-interest, as rivers in the sea.

Some weak people are so sensible of their weakness as to be able to make a good use of it.

We like to read others but we do not like to be read.

The thing that makes our friendships so short and changeable is that the qualities and dispositions of the soul are very hard to know, and those of the understanding and wit very easy.

It is necessary, in order to know things well, to know the particulars of them; and these, being infinite, make our knowledge eversuperficial and imperfect.

Nothing is rarer than real goodness.

The greatest part of intimate confidences proceed from a desire either to be pitied or admired.