We often bore others when we think we cannot possibly bore them.

The most violent passions sometimes leave us at rest, but vanity agitates us constantly.

It is much better to learn to deal with the ills we have now than to speculate on those that may befall us.

In all professions each affects a look and an exterior to appear what he wishes the world to believe that he is. Thus we may say that the whole world is made up of appearances.

Avarice is more opposite to economy than liberality.

Though men are apt to flatter and exalt themselves with their great achievements, yet these are, in truth, very often owing not so much to design as chance.

Nature seems at each man's birth to have marked out the bounds of his virtues and vices, and to have determined how good or how wicked that man shall be capable of being.