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

The nearer we approach great men, the clearer we see that they are men.

The Great slight the men of wit, who have nothing but wit; the men of wit despise the Great, who have nothing but greatness; the good man pities them both, if with greatness or wit they have not virtue.

The pleasure we feel in criticizing robs us from being moved by very beautiful things.

We must confess that at present the rich predominate, but the future will be for the virtuous and ingenious.

It is worse to apprehend than to suffer.

Dissimulation, even the most innocent in its nature, is ever productive of embarrassment; whether the design is evil or not artifice is always dangerous and almost inevitably disgraceful.