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.
Flattery is a kind of bad money, to which our vanity gives us currency.
The confidence which we have in ourselves give birth to much of that, which we have in others.
The person giving the advice returns the confidence placed in him with a disinterested eagerness... and he is usually guided only by his own interest or reputation.
What is called liberality is often merely the vanity of giving.
Old people are fond of giving good advice; it consoles them for no longer being capable of setting a bad example.
Whatever pretext we may give for our affections, often it is only interest and vanity which cause them.
Many men are contemptuous of riches; few can give them away.
Praise is a more ingenious, concealed, and subtle kind of flattery, that satisfies both the giver and the receiver, though by verydifferent ways. The one accepts it as a reward due to his merit; the other gives it that he may be looked upon as a just and discerning person.
The passions do very often give birth to others of a nature most contrary to their own. Thus avarice sometimes brings forth prodigality, and prodigality avarice; a man's resolution is very often the effect of levity, and his boldness that of cowardice and fear.
Unfaithfulness ought to extinguish love, and we should not be jealous when there is reason to be. Only those who give no grounds for jealousy are worthy of it.
We are never so generous as when giving advice.
Men give away nothing so liberally as their advice.
Old people love to give good advice; it compensates them for their inability to set a bad example.
We are easily comforted for the misfortunes of our friends, when those misfortunes give us an occasion of expressing our affection and solicitude.