We are very far from always knowing our own wishes.
We come altogether fresh and raw into the several stages of life, and often find ourselves without experience, despite our years.
Perfect courage is to do without witnesses what one would be capable of doing with the world looking on.
The desire to seem clever often keeps us from being so.
It is not in the power of even the most crafty dissimulation to conceal love long, where it really is, nor to counterfeit it long where it is not.
Moderation is the feebleness and sloth of the soul, whereas ambition is the warmth and activity of it.
Those who are incapable of committing great crimes do not readily suspect them in others.
We are all strong enough to bear other men's misfortunes.
We are so used to dissembling with others that in time we come to deceive and dissemble with ourselves.
A man's worth has its season, like fruit.
Fortune converts everything to the advantage of her favorites.
Heat of blood makes young people change their inclinations often, and habit makes old ones keep to theirs a great while.
It is with an old love as it is with old age a man lives to all the miseries, but is dead to all the pleasures.
Love often leads on to ambition, but seldom does one return from ambition to love.
Pride, which inspires us with so much envy, is sometimes of use toward the moderating of it too.
The greatest part of intimate confidences proceed from a desire either to be pitied or admired.
The moderation of people in prosperity is the effect of a smooth and composed temper, owing to the calm of their good fortune.
The one thing people are the most liberal with, is their advice.
There is many a virtuous woman weary of her trade.
Timidity is a fault for which it is dangerous to reprove persons whom we wish to correct of it.
To know how to hide one's ability is great skill.
Usually we praise only to be praised.
We do not despise all those who have vices, but we do despise those that have no virtue.
We only confess our little faults to persuade people that we have no big ones.
We seldom praise anyone in good earnest, except such as admire us.
