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

There are certain things in which mediocrity is not to be endured, such as poetry, music, painting, public speaking.

We hope to grow old and we dread old age; that is to say, we love life and we flee from death.

The noblest deeds are well enough set forth in simple language; emphasis spoils them.

A wise man is not governed by others, nor does he try to govern them; he prefers that reason alone prevail.

A coquette is one that is never to be persuaded out of the passion she has to please, nor out of a good opinion of her own beauty: time and years she regards as things that only wrinkle and decay other women, forgetting that age is written in the face, and that the same dress which became her when she was young now only makes her look older.

The wise person often shuns society for fear of being bored.