To give awkwardly is churlishness. The most difficult part is to give, then why not add a smile?

A lovely countenance is the fairest of all sights, and the sweetest harmony is the sound of the voice of her whom we love.

Both as to high and low indifferently, men are prepossessed, charmed, fascinated by success; successful crimes are praised very much like virtue itself, and good fortune is not far from occupying the place of the whole cycle of virtues. It must be an atrocious act, a base and hateful deed, which success would not be able to justify.

It is virtue which should determine us in the choice of our friends, without inquiring into their good or evil fortune.

Cheats easily believe others as bad as themselves; there is no deceiving them, nor do they long deceive.

The Great slight the men of wit, who have nothing but wit; the men of wit despise the Great, who have nothing but greatness; the good man pities them both, if with greatness or wit they have not virtue.

Days, months, years fly away, and irrecoverably sink in the abyss of time.