Some men are like ballads, that are in everyone’s mouth a little while.
A readiness to believe ill of others, before we have duly examined it, is the effect of laziness and pride. We are eager to find aculprit, and loath to give ourselves the trouble of examining the crime.
No one thinks fortune so blind as those she has been least kind to.
Moderation is a fear of falling into that envy and contempt which those who grow giddy with their good fortune quite justly draw upon themselves. It is a vain boasting of the greatness of our mind.
The moderation of men in the most exalted fortunes is a desire to be thought above those things that have raised them so high.
There is something to be said for jealousy, because it only designs the preservation of some good which we either have or think wehave a right to. But envy is a raging madness that cannot bear the wealth or fortune of others.
It is sometimes a point of as much cleverness to know to make good use of advice from others as to be able give good advice to oneself.
We often in our misfortunes take that for constancy and patience which is only dejection of mind; we suffer without daring to holdup our heads, just as cowards let themselves be knocked on the head because they have not courage to strike back.
Perseverance is neither praiseworthy nor blameworthy; for it seems to be only the enduring of certain inclinations and opinions which men neither give themselves nor take away from themselves.
A wise man should order his interests, and set them all in their proper places. This order is often troubled by greed, which putsus upon pursuing so many things at once that, in eagerness for matters of less consideration, we grasp at trifles, and let go things of greater value.
Our repentances are generally not so much a concern and remorse for the harm we have done, as a fear of the harm we may have brought upon ourselves.
That which occasions so many mistakes in the computations of men, when they expect return for favors, is that the giver’s pride and the receiver’s cannot agree upon the value of the kindness done.
We frequently are troublesome to others, when we think it impossible for us ever to be so.
The applause we give those who are new to society often proceeds from a secret envying of those already established.
A man seldom finds people unthankful, as long as he remains in a condition of benefiting them further.
Our own distrust gives a fair pretence for the knavery of other people.
It is safer to do most men harm than to do them too much good.
A man is ridiculous less through the characteristics he has than through those he affects to have.
Hope and fear are inseparable. There is no hope without fear, nor any fear without hope.
Some disguised deceits counterfeit truth so perfectly that not to be taken in by them would be an error of judgment.