Youth changes its tastes by the warmth of its blood; age retains its tastes by habit.

Our repentances are generally not so much a concern and remorse for the harm we have done, as a fear of the harm we may have brought upon ourselves.

Most men expose themselves in battle enough to save their honor, few wish to do so more than sufficiently, or than is necessary to make the design for which they expose themselves succeed.

Ability wins us the esteem of the true men; luck, that of the people.

Fortune mends more faults in us than ever reason would be able to do.

There are few things we should keenly desire if we really knew what we wanted.

Those that have had great passions esteem themselves for the rest of their lives fortunate and unfortunate in being cured of them.