It is a very trying task for deceitful people, always to have to cover up their lack of sincerity and to repair the breaking of their word.

The foolish acts of others ought to serve more as a lesson to us than an occasion to laugh at those who commit them.

There is little advantage in pleasing ourselves when we please no one else, for our great self-love is often chastised by the scorn of others.

Often the desire to appear competent impedes our ability to become competent, because we more anxious to display our knowledge than to learn what we do not know.

We would often rather seem dutiful to others than to succeed in our duties; and often we would rather tell our friends that we have done them good than to do good in actuality.

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.

Often our good deeds make enemies for us, and the ungrateful person despises us on two counts; for he is not only unwilling to acknowledge the gratitude he owes us: he does not want to have his benefactor as witness to his thankless behavior.