Whatever pretended causes we may blame our afflictions upon, it is often nothing but self-interest and vanity that produce them.

Moderation is represented as a virtue in order to restrain the ambition of great men, and to console those of a meaner condition in their lesser merit and fortune.

Hope and fear are inseparable. There is no hope without fear, nor any fear without hope.

Self-love increases or diminishes for us the good qualities of our friends, in proportion to the satisfaction we feel with them; and we judge of their merit by the manner in which they act towards us.

Some men are so full of themselves that when they fall in love, they amuse themselves rather with their own passion than with theperson they love.

Moral severity in women is only a dress or paint which they use to set off their beauty.

Some people resemble ballads which are only sung for a certain time.