To be forward to praise others implies either great eminence, that can afford to, part with applause; or great quickness of discernment, with confidence in our own judgments; or great sincerity and love of truth, getting the better of our self-love.

It is essential to the triumph of reform that it should never succeed.

Modesty is the lowest of the virtues, and is a real confession of the deficiency it indicates. He who undervalues himself is justly undervalued by others.

Let a man's talents or virtues be what they may, he will only feel satisfaction in his society as he is satisfied in himself.

The love of liberty is the love of others; the love of power is the love of ourselves.

The slaves of power mind the cause they have to serve, because their own interest is concerned; but the friends of liberty always sacrifice their cause, which is only the cause of humanity, to their own spleen, vanity, and self-opinion.

Life is the art of being well deceived; and in order that the deception may succeed it must be habitual and uninterrupted.