Wealth does not teach us to transcend the desire for wealth. The possession of many goods does not bring the repose of not desiring them..

It is vain and useless to survey everything that goes on in the world if our study does not help us mend our ways..

To be too dissatisfied with ourselves is a weakness. To be too satisfied with ourselves is a stupidity..

Study and research into truth often only serves to make us see by experience our natural ignorance..

Virtue is not always where it seems to be. People sometimes acknowledge favors only to maintain their reputations, and to make themselves more impude….

Instead of taking care to acquaint ourselves with others, we only think of making ourselves known to them. It would be better to listen to other peop….

Just as there is no action weaker or more unreasonable than to submit one's judgment to another's, where there is no advantage to oneself, so also th….

We often value the exterior and superficial aspect of things more than their inner reality. Bad manners taint everything even justice and reason. The….

There is nothing that does not have something perfect in it; and it is the happiness of good taste to be able to find this perfection in all things. ….

He who uses trickery should at least make use of his judgment to learn that he can scarcely hide treacherous conduct for very long among clever men w….

It is sometimes useful to pretend we are deceived, because when we show a deceiving man that we see through his artifices, we only encourage him to i….

There is always enough self-love hidden beneath the greatest devoutness to set limits on charity..

There are people so blind and self-absorbed in all matters that they always believe that, whatever they desire or think, they can impose their will o….

There is a certain manner of self-absorption in speaking that always renders the speaker disagreeable. For it is as great a folly to listen only to o….

Criticism should awaken our attention, not inflame our anger. We should listen to, and not flee from, those who contradict us. Truth should be our ca….

It is better that great peoples should seek out glory, or even vanity, in their deeds, than that they should remain indifferent . For even if they ar….

Honest and sincere acts mislead the wicked and cause them to lose their path to their own goals, because mean-spirited people usually believe that pe….

We are more put off by people who parade their dignity than by people who show off their wardrobes. When people have to trick themselves out to gain ….

We judge matters so superficially that ordinary acts and words, done and spoken with some flair and some knowledge of worldly matters, often succeed ….

There is a certain imperiousness, in the manner of speaking and in actions, which makes itself felt everywhere, and soon wins attention and respect. ….

Love is always master everywhere. It shapes the soul, the heart, and the mind wherever it exists. What matters is not the amount of love, but simply ….