"The generality of men expend the early part of their lives in contributing to render the latter part miserable."

"A wise man is not governed by others, nor does he try to govern them; he prefers that reason alone prevail."

"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 best thing next to wit is a consciousness that it is not in us; without wit, a man might then know how to behave himself, so as not to appear to be a fool or a coxcomb."

"Profound ignorance makes a man dogmatic. The man who knows nothing thinks he is teaching others what he has just learned himself; the man who knows a great deal can't imagine that what he is saying is not common knowledge, and speaks more indifferently."

"There are only three events in a man's life; birth, life, and death; he is not conscious of being born, he dies in pain, and he forgets to live."

"That man is good who does good to others; if he suffers on account of the good he does, he is very good; if he suffers at the hands of those to whom he has done good, then his goodness is so great that it could be enhanced only by greater sufferings; and if he should die at their hands, his virtue can go no further: it is heroic, it is perfect."

"When a secret is revealed, it is the fault of the man who confided it."

"A man must be completely wanting in intelligence if he does not show it when actuated by love, malice, or necessity."

"It is a sad thing when men have neither the wit to speak well nor the judgment to hold their tongues."