Wishes are premonitions of abilities.

A vain man can never be altogether rude. Desirous as he is of pleasing, he fashions his manners after those of others.

Judge a man's character by what he finds ridiculous.

Nature! We live in her midst and know her not. She is incessantly speaking to us, but betrays not her secret. We constantly act upon her, and yet have no power over her. Variant: NATURE! We are surrounded and embraced by her: powerless to separate ourselves from her, and powerless to penetrate beyond her.

For usually people resist as long as they can to dismiss the fool they harbor in their bosom, they resist to confess a major mistake or to admit a truth that makes them despair.

One would give generous alms if one had the eyes to see the beauty of a cupped receiving hand.

My poor head is in such a whirl, my mind is all in bits.