Moderation is the feebleness and sloth of the soul, whereas ambition is the warmth and activity of it.

In the intercourse of life, we please more by our faults than by our good qualities.

Whatever pretext we may give for our affections, often it is only interest and vanity which cause them.

Whilst weakness and timidity keep us to our duty, virtue has often all the honor.

Few things are needful to make the wise man happy, but nothing satisfies the fool; - and this is the reason why so many of mankind are miserable.

The defects of the mind, like those of the face, grow worse with age.

The hate of favourites is only a love of favour. The envy of NOT possessing it, consoles and softens its regrets by the contempt it evinces for those who possess it, and we refuse them our homage, not being able to detract from them what attracts that of the rest of the world.