He who expects from a great name in politics, in philosophy, in art, equal greatness in other things, is little versed in human nature. Our strength lies in our weakness. The learned in books are ignorant of the world. He who is ignorant of books is often well acquainted with other things; for life is of the same length in the learned and unlearned; the mind cannot be idle; if it is not taken up with one thing, it attends to another through choice or necessity; and the degree of previous capacity in one class or another is a mere lottery.

A thing is not vulgar merely because it is common.

Time,--the most independent of all things.

To think ill of mankind and not wish ill to them, is perhaps the highest wisdom and virtue.

The art of life is to know how to enjoy a little and to endure very much.

Truth from the mouth of an honest man and severity from a good-natured man have a double effect.

The youth is better than the old age of friendship.