What makes us so bitter against people who outwit us is that they think themselves cleverer than we are.

The esteem of good men is the reward of our worth, but the reputation of the world in general is the gift of our fate.

Heat of blood makes young people change their inclinations often, and habit makes old ones keep to theirs a great while.

Politeness of mind consists in thinking chaste and refined thoughts.

The smallest fault of women who give themselves up to love is to love.

Happiness is in the taste, and not in the things.

The hate of favourites is only a love of favour. The envy of NOT possessing it, consoles and softens its regrets by the contempt it evinces for those who possess it, and we refuse them our homage, not being able to detract from them what attracts that of the rest of the world.