Opportunity makes us known to others, but more to ourselves.
Sincerity is an openness of heart; we find it in very few people; what we usually see is only an artful dissimulation to win the confidence of others.
Reconciliation with our enemies is simply a desire to better our condition, a weariness of war, or the fear of some unlucky thing from occurring.
Pity is often a reflection of our own evils in the ills of others. It is a delicate foresight of the troubles into which we may fall.
Behind many acts that are thought ridiculous there lie wise and weighty motives.
No matter how brilliant an action, it should not be considered great unless it was the result of a great motive.
Moderation in people who are contented comes from that calm that good fortune lends to their spirit.
Renewed friendships require more care than those that have never been broken.
Wisdom is the mind what health is to the body.
A clever man should handle his interests so that each will fall in suitable order of their value.
Nothing should lessen our satisfaction with ourselves as much as when we notice that we disapprove of something at one time that we approve of at another time.
The intention of never deceiving often exposes us to deception.
The extreme delight we experience in talking about ourselves should warn us that those who listen do not share it.
Sometimes, occasions occur in life which demand you to be a little foolish in order to skillfully extricate yourself.
To boast that one never flirts is actually a kind of flirtation.
Women do not know all their powers of flirtation.
We have more ability than will power, and it is often an excuse to ourselves that we imagine that things are impossible.
We are never so easily deceived as when we imagine we are deceiving others.
Avarice misapprehends itself almost always. There is no passion which more often will miss its aim, nor upon which the present has so much influence to the prejudice of the future.
We should manage our fortune as we do our health – enjoy it when good, be patient when it is bad, and never apply violent remedies except in an extreme necessity.