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

People always complain about their memories, never about their minds.

The reason why most women have so little sense of friendship is that this is but a cold and flat passion to those that have felt that of love.

No accidents are so unlucky [bad] but that the wise may draw some advantage [good] from them.

Friendship is a traffic wherein self-love always proposes to be the gainer.

Virtue would go far if vanity did not keep it company.

When the philosophers despised riches, it was because they had a mind to vindicate their own merit, and take revenge upon the injustice of fortune by vilifying those enjoyments which she had not given them.