A woman is easily governed, if a man takes her in hand.

I do not doubt but that genuine piety is the spring of peace of mind; it enables us to bear the sorrows of life, and lessens the pangs of death: the same cannot be said of hypocrisy.

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.

A vain man finds his account in speaking good or evil of himself.

Eloquence is to the sublime what the whole is to the part.

Cunning is none of the best nor worst qualities; it floats between virtue and vice; there is scarce any exigence where it may not, and perhaps ought not to be supplied by prudence.

We wish to constitute all the happiness, or, if that cannot be, the misery of the one we love.