Desire is the uneasiness a man finds in himself upon the absence of anything whose present enjoyment carries the idea of delight with it.

Learn the value of a man's words and expressions, and you know him. Each man has a measure of his own for everything; this he offers you inadvertently in his words. He who has a superlative for everything wants a measure for the great or small.

Say not you know another entirely till you have divided an inheritance with him.

The prudent see only the difficulties, the bold only the advantages, of a great enterprise; the hero sees both; diminishes the former and makes the latter preponderate, and so conquers.

Who makes quick use of the moment is a genius of prudence.

It is a poor wit who lives by borrowing the words, decisions, mien, inventions and actions of others.

He is incapable of a truly good action who finds not a pleasure in contemplating the good actions of others.