Philosophy finds it an easy matter to vanquish past and future evils, but the present are commonly too hard for it.

We frequently do good in order to enable us to do evil later with impunity exemption of punishment.

The old begin to complain of the conduct of the young when they themselves are no longer able to set a bad example.

We love everything on our own account; we even follow our own taste and inclination when we prefer our friends to ourselves; and yet it is this preference alone that constitutes true and perfect friendship.

When our hatred is too alive puts us below what we hate.

Second-rate minds usually condemn everything beyond their grasp.

We often persuade ourselves to love people who are more powerful than we are, yet interest alone produces our friendship; we do not give our hearts away for the good we wish to do, but for that we expect to receive.