It is such a great fault to talk too much that, in business and conversation, if what is good is also brief, it is doubly good, and one gains by brevity what one often loses by an excess of words.

All the great amusements are dangerous for the Christian life.

Self-love makes us deceive ourselves in almost all matters, to censure others, and to blame them for the same faults that we do not correct in ourselves; we do this either because we are unaware of the evil that exists within us, or because we always see our own evil disguised as a good.

One cannot always bestow all manner of things upon everybody. To refuse a request for just cause is as praiseworthy as to grant a request that is worthy. It is for this reason that the "no" of some people pleases more than the "yes" of others. A refusal accompanied by sweet words and a civil manner gives more satisfaction to a true heart than a favor given with bad grace.

Study and research into truth often only serves to make us see by experience our natural ignorance.

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.

To be too dissatisfied with ourselves is a weakness. To be too satisfied with ourselves is a stupidity.