“In the misfortunes of our best friends we always find something not altogether displeasing to us.”

Great souls are not those who have fewer passions and more virtues than others, but only those who have greater designs.

Too great haste to repay an obligation is a kind of ingratitude.

The only thing that should surprise us is that there are still some things that can surprise us.

All the passions make us commit faults; love makes us commit the most ridiculous ones.

In friendship as well as love, ignorance very often contributes more to our happiness than knowledge.

We always love those who admire us, but we do not always love those whom we admire.

If we have not peace within ourselves, it is in vain to seek it from outward sources.

It is easier to be wise for others than for ourselves.

Philosophy finds it an easy matter to vanquish past and future evils, but the present are commonly too hard for it.

The intellect is always fooled by the heart.

We are nearer loving those who hate us than those who love us more than we wish.

The sure mark of one born with noble qualities is being born without envy.

The desire to seem clever often keeps us from being so.

Most of our faults are more pardonable than the means we use to conceal them.

We often pardon those that annoy us, but we cannot pardon those we annoy.

Pride does not wish to owe and vanity does not wish to pay.