All the passions make us commit faults; love makes us commit the most ridiculous ones.

The constancy of the wise is only the art of keeping disquietude to one's self.

We should only affect compassion, and carefully avoid having any.

For the credit of virtue we must admit that the greatest misfortunes of men are those into which they fall through their crimes.

Pride indemnifies itself and loses nothing even when it casts away vanity.

Vices are ingredients of virtues just as poisons are ingredients of remedies. Prudence mixes and tempers them and uses them effectively against life's ills.

Innocence does not find near so much protection as guilt.