Sometimes we praise the way things used to be in order to blame the present, and we esteem what is no longer in order to scorn what is.

It is sometimes useful to pretend we are deceived, because when we show a deceiving man that we see through his artifices, we only encourage him to increase his deceptions.

The loftiness of understanding embraces all. It requires as much spirit to suffer the failings of others as it does to appreciate their good qualities.

Social intercourse, even friendship among most people, is a merely a business arrangement that lasts only so long as there is need.

It is neither a great praise nor a great blame when people say a tendency is in or out of fashion. If a tendency is as it should be at one time, it is always as it should be.

There is always enough self-love hidden beneath the greatest devoutness to set limits on charity.

The conversation of those who like to lord it over us is very disagreeable. But we should always be ready to graciously acknowledge the truth, no matter in what guise it comes to us.