Eloquence may be found in conversations and in all kinds of writings; it is rarely found when looked for, and sometimes discovered where it is least expected.

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.

I would not like to see a person who is sober, moderate, chaste and just say that there is no God. They would speak disinterestedly at least, but such a person is not to be found.

The very essence of politeness seems to be to take care that by our words and actions we make other people pleased with us as well as with themselves.

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

One mark of a second-rate mind is to be always telling stories.

A woman with eyes only for one person, or with eyes always averted from him, creates exactly the same impression.