Happiness is a wondrous commodity: the more you give, the more you have.

To be totally understanding makes one very indulgent.

The only equitable manner in my opinion, of judging the character of a man is to examine if there are personal calculations in his conduct; if there are not, we may blame his manner of judging, but we are not the less bound to esteem him.

nothing is so horrifying as the possibility of existing simply because we do not know how to die.

New doctrines ever displease the old. They like to fancy that the world has been losing wisdom, instead of gaining it, since they were young.

Venice astonishes more than it pleases at first sight.

Who understands much forgives much. To understand everything makes us very forgiving.