It is necessary, in order to know things well, to know the particulars of them; and these, being infinite, make our knowledge eversuperficial and imperfect.

For most men the love of justice is only the fear of suffering injustice.

The measure of great men should always be measured by the means they have used to acquire it.

Men are not only prone to forget benefits; they even hate those who have obliged them, and cease to hate those who have injured them. The necessity of revenging an injury, or of recompensing a benefit seems a slavery to which they are unwilling to submit.

We often forgive those who bore us, but we cannot forgive those whom we bore.

Most people judge men by their success or their good fortune.

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