There is merit without rank, but there is no rank without some merit.

There are persons whose only merit consists in saying and doing stupid things at the right time, and who ruin all if they change their manners.

Old people are fond of giving good advice; it consoles them for no longer being capable of setting a bad example.

Nothing is impossible; there are ways that lead to everything, and if we had sufficient will we should always have sufficient means. It is often merely for an excuse that we say things are impossible.

We are much harder on people who betray us in small ways than on people who betray others in great ones.

Before we set our hearts too much upon anything, let us examine how happy they are, who already possess it.

They that apply themselves to trifling matters commonly become incapable of great ones.