The esteem of good men is the reward of our worth, but the reputation of the world in general is the gift of our fate.
There are some people upon whom their very faults and failings sit gracefully; and there are others whose very excellencies and accomplishments do not become them.
Eloquence resides as much in the tone of voice, in the eyes, and in the expression of the face, as in the choice of words.
Moderation is represented as a virtue in order to restrain the ambition of great men, and to console those of a meaner condition in their lesser merit and fortune.
What we take for high-mindedness is very often no other than ambition well disguised, that scorns means interests, only to pursuegreater.
Bravery in simple soldiers is a dangerous trade, to which they have bound themselves to get their livelihood.
The breeding we give young people is ordinarily but an additional self-love, by which we make them have a better opinion of themselves.
The cunningest dissimulation is when a man pretends to be caught in the traps others set for him; and a man is never so easily over-reached as when he is contriving to over-reach others.
Men are inconsolable concerning the treachery of their friends or the deceptions of their enemies; and yet they are often very highly satisfied to be both deceived and betrayed by their own selves.
The most ingenious men continually pretend to condemn tricking – but this is often done that they may use it more conveniently themselves, when some great occasion or interest offers itself to them.
We are much mistaken if we think that men are always brave from a principle of valor, or women chaste from a principle of modesty.
The courage of a great many men, and the virtue of a great many women, are the effect of vanity, shame, and especially a suitabletemperament.
We do not lack strength so much as the will to use it; and very often our imagining that things are impossible is nothing but an excuse of our own contriving, to reconcile ourselves to our own idleness.
We have not strength enough to follow our reason so far as it would carry us.
All men are equally proud. The only difference is that not all take the same methods of showing it.
Nothing ought in reason to mortify our self-satisfaction more that the considering that we condemn at one time what we highly approve and commend at another.
What we cut off from our other faults is very often but so much added to our pride.
Humility is the sure evidence of Christian virtues. Without it, we retain all our faults still, and they are only covered over with pride, which hides them from other men’s observation, and sometimes from our own too.
We often brag that we are never bored with ourselves, and are so vain as never to think ourselves bad company.
The best way to rise in society is to use all possible means of persuading people that one has already risen in society.