The punishment of a criminal is an example to the rabble; but every decent man is concerned if an innocent person is condemned.

As long as men are liable to die and are desirous to live, a physician will be made fun of, but he will be well paid.

You think him to be your dupe; if he feigns to be so who is the greater dupe, he or you?

The whole genius of an author consists in describing well, and delineating character well. Homer, Plato, Virgil, Horace only excel other writers by their expressions and images; we must indicate what is true if we mean to write naturally, forcibly and delicately.

A man who knows the court is master of his gestures, of his eyes and of his face; he is profound, impenetratable; he dissimulates bad offices, smiles at his enemies, controls his irritation, disguises his passions, belies his heartm speaks and acts against his feelings.

The nearer we come to great men the more clearly we see that they are only men. They rarely seem great to their valets.

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.