There are three great events in our lives: birth, life and death. Of birth we have no conscience; with death, we suffer; and, concerning life, we forget to live it.

False glory is the rock of vanity; it seduces men to affect esteem by things which they indeed possess, but which are frivolous, and which for a man to value himself on would be a scandalous error.

A prince wants only the pleasure of private life to complete his happiness.

Piety with some people, but especially with women, is either a passion, or an infirmity of age, or a fashion which must be followed.

We rarely repent of speaking little, but often of speaking too much.

The very essence of politeness seems to be to take care that by our words and actions we make other people pleased with us as well as with themselves.

How sweet, how passing sweet, is solitude!