A man may and ought to pride himself more on his will than on his talent.

Woman is closer to angels than man because she knows how to mingle an infinite tenderness with the most absolute compassion.

Handsome widows, after a twelve-month, enjoy a latitude and longitude without limit.

To kill a relative of whom you are tired is something. But to inherit his property afterwards, that is genuine pleasure.

Emulation admires and strives to imitate great actions; envy is only moved to malice.

The Parisan, sauntering the streets idly, is as often a man in despair as a lounger.

Envy lurks at the bottom of the human heart like a viper in its hole.