We need to be just before we are generous, as we need shirts before ruffles.
Someone described Providence as the baptismal name of chance; no doubt some pious person will retort that chance is the nickname of Providence.
A lover is a man who tries to be more amiable than it is possible for him to be.
The philosopher who would fain extinguish his passions resembles the chemist who would like to let his furnace go out.
False modesty is the most decent of all lies.
All passions exaggerate; and they are passions only because they do exaggerate.