To establish ourselves in the world, we have to do all we can to appear established. To succeed in the world, we do everything we can to appear successful.

In friendship as well as love, ignorance very often contributes more to our happiness than knowledge.

Moderation is like sobriety: you would like to have some more, but are afraid of making yourself ill.

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

The constancy of sages is nothing but the art of locking up their agitation in their hearts.

In misfortune we often mistake dejection for constancy; we bear it without daring to look on it; like cowards, who suffer themselves to be murdered without resistance.

Folly pursues us at all periods of our lives. If someone seems wise it is only because his follies are proportionate to his age and fortune.