There is no vice or folly that requires so much nicety and skill to manage as vanity; nor any which by ill management makes so contemptible a figure.

I cannot imagine why we should be at the expense to furnish wit for succeeding ages, when the former have made no sort of provision for ours.

Principally I hate and detest that animal called man; although I heartily love John, Peter, Thomas, and so forth.

Nothing is so great an instance of ill-manners as flattery.

A lie does not consist in the indirect position of words, but in the desire and intention, by false speaking, to deceive and injure your neighbour.

An intelligent person should put money in the beginning, but not in heart

The two maxims of any great man at court are, always to keep his countenance, and never to keep his word.