As a man falls out of favour and his wealth declines, we discover for the first time the ridiculous aspects of his character, which were always there but which wealth and favour had concealed.

Poverty may be the mother of crime, but lack of good sense is the father.

Logic is the art of convincing us some truth.

We should laugh before being happy, for fear of dying without having laughed.

If you suppress the exorbitant love of pleasure and money, idle curiosity, iniquitous pursuits and wanton mirth, what a stillness would there be in the greatest cities.

It would be a kind of ferocity to reject indifferently all sorts of praise. One should be glad to have that which comes from good men who praise in sincerity things that are really praiseworthy.

Extremes are vicious, and proceed from men; compensation is just, and proceeds from God.