Clearness marks the sincerity of philosophers.

Men sometimes feel injured by praise because it assigns a limit to their merit; few people are modest enough not to take offense that one appreciates them.

Men despise great projects when they do not feel themselves capable of great successes.

When we feel that we lack whatever is needed to secure someone else's esteem, we are very close to hating him

Our errors and our controversies, in the sphere of morality, arise sometimes from looking on men as though they could be altogether bad, or altogether good.

Ignorance is not lack of intelligence, nor knowledge a proof of genius.

The usual pretext of those who make others unhappy is that they do it for their own good.