It is often laziness and timidity that keep us within our duty while virtue gets all the credit.

We only confess our little faults to persuade people that we have no big ones.

The most effectual way to be deceived is to believe oneself more cunning than one's neighbors.

Our enemies' opinion of us comes closer to the truth than our own.

We often persuade ourselves to love people who are more powerful than we are, yet interest alone produces our friendship; we do not give our hearts away for the good we wish to do, but for that we expect to receive.

Gratitude is merely the secret hope of further favors.

The courage of a great many men, and the virtue of a great many women, are the effect of vanity, shame, and especially a suitabletemperament.