The greatest part of intimate confidences proceed from a desire either to be pitied or admired.

What we call generosity is for the most part only the vanity of giving; and we exercise it because we are more fond of that vanity than of the thing we give.

Neither the sun nor death can be looked at steadily.

Flattery is a base coin which is current only through our vanity.

The health of the soul is something we can be no more sure of than that of the body; and though a man may seem far from the passions, yet he is in as much danger of falling into them as one in a perfect state of health of having a fit of sickness.

The strongest symptom of wisdom in man is his being sensible of his own follies.

The one thing people are the most liberal with, is their advice.