The lives of heroes have enriched history, and history has adorned the actions of heroes ; and thus I cannot say whether the historians are more indebted to those who provided them with such noble materials, or those great men to their historians.
Envy and hatred go together. Mutually strengthened by the fact pursue the same object.
The Great slight the men of wit, who have nothing but wit; the men of wit despise the Great, who have nothing but greatness; the good man pities them both, if with greatness or wit they have not virtue.
The same vices which are huge and insupportable in others we do not feel in ourselves.
False glory is the rock of vanity; it seduces men to affect esteem by things which they indeed possess, but which are frivolous, and which for a man to value himself on would be a scandalous error.
A vain man finds his account in speaking good or evil of himself.
We seldom repent talking little, but very often talking too much.
A man reveals his character even in the simplest things he does.
Eminent station makes great men more great, and little ones less.
We are more sociable, and get on better with people by the heart than the intellect.
We wish to constitute all the happiness, or, if that cannot be, the misery of the one we love.
The most amiable people are those who least wound the self-love of others.
We all covet wealth, but not its perils.
Widows, like ripe fruit, drop easily from their perch.
We must confess that at present the rich predominate, but the future will be for the virtuous and ingenious.
A man who knows the court is master of his gestures, of his eyes and of his face; he is profound, impenetratable; he dissimulates bad offices, smiles at his enemies, controls his irritation, disguises his passions, belies his heartm speaks and acts against his feelings.
The doctors allow one to die, the charlatans kill.
Genius and great abilities are often wanting; sometimes, only opportunities. Some deserve praise for what they have done; others for what they would have done.
Discretion is the perfection of reason, and a guide to us in all the duties of life. It is only found in men of sound sense and understanding.
Misers are neither relations, nor friends, nor citizens, nor Christians, nor perhaps even human beings.