Men have written in the most convincing manner to prove that death is no evil, and this opinion has been confirmed on a thousand celebrated occasions by the weakest of men as well as by heroes. Even so I doubt whether any sensible person has ever believed it, and the trouble men take to convince others as well as themselves that they do shows clearly that it is no easy undertaking.

Weakness of character is the only defect which cannot be amended.

In the human heart one generation of passions follows another; from the ashes of one springs the spark of the next.

A man's worth has its season, like fruit.

The virtues and vices are all put in motion by interest.

If you cannot find peace in yourself, it is useless to look for it elsewhere.

There are some persons who only disgust with their abilities, there are persons who please even with their faults.