Nothing hinders a thing from being natural so much as the straining ourselves to make it seem so.

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

There is merit without rank, but there is no rank without some merit.

The more one loves a mistress, the more one is ready to hate her.

It is harder to hide the feelings we have than to feign the ones we do not have.

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.

Jealousy springs more from love of self than from love of another.