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.

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

Love seizes us suddenly, without giving warning, and our disposition or our weakness favors the surprise; one look, one glance, from the fair fixes and determines us.

It seems to me that the spirit of politeness is a certain attention in causing that, by our words and by our manners, others may be content with us and with themselves.

It is in vain to ridicule a rich fool, for the laughers will be on his side.

It is the glory and merit of some men to write well and of others not to write at all.

There are only two ways by which to rise in this world, either by one's own industry or by the stupidity of others.