All the world says of a coxcomb that he is a coxcomb; but no one dares to say so to his face, and he dies without knowing it.

How much wit, good-nature, indulgences, how many good offices and civilities, are required among friends to accomplish in some years what a lovely face or a fine hand does in a minute!

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

An egotist will always speak of himself, either in praise or in censure, but a modest man ever shuns making himself the subject of his conversation.

Party loyalty lowers the greatest men to the petty level of the masses.

High birth is a gift of fortune which should never challenge esteem towards those who receive it, since it costs them neither study nor labor.

A man may have intelligence enough to excel in a particular thing and lecture on it, and yet not have sense enough to know he ought to be silent on some other subject of which he has but a slight knowledge; if such an illustrious man ventures beyond the bounds of his capacity, he loses his way and talks like a fool.