Every man is valued in this world as he shows by his conduct that he wishes to be valued.

Love and friendship exclude each other.

The generality of men expend the early part of their lives in contributing to render the latter part miserable.

Widows, like ripe fruit, drop easily from their perch.

A prince wants only the pleasure of private life to complete his happiness.

From time to time there appear on the face of the earth men of rare and consummate excellence, who dazzle us by their virtue, and whose outstanding qualities shed a stupendous light. Like those extraordinary stars of whose origins we are ignorant, and of whose fate, once they have vanished, we know even less, such men have neither forebears nor descendants: they are the whole of their race.

There is what is called the highway to posts and honor, and there is a cross and by way, which is much the shortest.