It is vain and useless to survey everything that goes on in the world if our study does not help us mend our ways.
Madeleine de Souvre, marquise de SableSelf-love is almost always the ruling principle of our friendships. It makes us avoid all our obligations in unprofitable situations, and even causes us to forget our hostility towards our enemies when they become powerful enough to help us achieve fame or fortune.
Madeleine de Souvre, marquise de SableWe so love all new and unusual things that we even derive a secret pleasure from the saddest and most tragic events, both because of their novelty and because of the natural malignity that exists within us.
Madeleine de Souvre, marquise de SableSometimes 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.
Madeleine de Souvre, marquise de Sable