“Nothing is more easy than to deceive one’s self, as our affections are subtle persuaders.”

Small opportunities are often the beginning of great enterprises.

As a vessel is known by the sound, whether it be cracked or not; so men are proved, by their speeches, whether they be wise or foolish.

You cannot have a proud and chivalrous spirit if your conduct is mean and paltry; for whatever a man’s actions are, such must be his spirit.

Close alliances with despots are never safe for free states.

The readiest and surest way to get rid of censure, is to correct ourselves.

The more able a man is, if he make ill use of his abilities, the more dangerous will he be to the commonwealth.

To remind a man of the good turns you have done him is very much like a reproach.

The best protection for the people is not necessarily to believe everything people tell them.

What a man wishes, he will believe.

Whatever shall be to the advantage of all, may that prevail!

There is a great deal of wishful thinking in such cases it is the easiest thing of all to deceive ones self.

Every advantage in the past is judged in the light of the final issue.

Small opportunities often presage great enterprises.

One believes in what one wants to believe in.

Success has a great tendency to conceal and throw a veil over the evil deeds of men.

He who confers a favor should at once forget it, if he is not to show a sordid ungenerous spirit. To remind a man of a kindness conferred and to talk of it, is little different from reproach.

Nothing is so easy as to deceive oneself; for what we wish, we readily believe.

Nothing is easier than self-deceit.

Nowadays those are rewarded who make right appear wrong.

Human life is thus only an endless illusion. Men deceive and flatter each other. No one speaks of us in our presence as he does when we are gone. Society is based on mutual hypocrisy.

Vice can deceive under the guise and shadow of virtue.

First appearance deceives many.

It is only prudent never to place complete confidence in that by which we have even once been deceived.

In the end love means deceive.