A blockhead cannot come in, nor go away, nor sit, nor rise, nor stand, like a man of sense.

It is through madness that we hate an enemy, and think of revenging ourselves; and it is through indolence that we are appeased, and do not revenge ourselves.

The great charm of conversation consists less in the display of one's own wit and intelligence than in the power to draw forth the resources of others.

We seldom repent talking little, but very often talking too much.

The most delicate, the most sensible of all pleasures, consists in promoting the pleasure of others.

They who, without any previous knowledge of us, think amiss of us, do us no harm; they attack not us, but the phantom of their own imagination.

If it be usual to be strongly impressed by things that are scarce, why are we so little impressed by virtue?