thing is rarer than true good nature; those who think they have it
are generally only pliant or weak.

There is no less eloquence in the voice, in the eyes and in the air of
a speaker than in his choice of words.

True eloquence consists in saying all that should be, not all that
could be said.

There are people whose faults become them, others whose very virtues
disgrace them.

We are never so happy or so unhappy as we suppose.

Our enemies come nearer the truth in the opinions they form of us than
we do in our opinion of ourselves.

Most people judge men only by success or by fortune.

Love of glory, fear of shame, greed of fortune, the desire to make
life agreeable and comfortable, and the wish to depreciate others are
often causes of that bravery so vaunted among men.

The fame of great men ought always to be estimated by the means used
to acquire it.

If we never flattered ourselves the flattery of others would not hurt
us.

When great men permit themselves to be cast down by the continuance of
misfortune, they show us that they were only sustained by ambition,
and not by their mind; so that _plus_ a great vanity, heroes are made
like other men.

We may forgive those who bore us, we can not forgive those whom we
bore.

To praise good actions heartily is in some measure to take part in
them.

There is a kind of greatness which does not depend upon fortune: it is
a certain manner that distinguishes us, and which seems to destine us
for great things: it is the value we insensibly set upon ourselves; it
is by this quality that we gain the deference of other men, and it is
this which commonly raises us more above them than birth, rank, or
even merit itself.

The cause why the majority of women are so little given to friendship
is, that it is insipid after having felt love.

Women can not be completely severe unless they hate.

The praise we give to new comers into the world arises from the envy
we bear to those who are established.

Little minds are too much wounded by little things; great minds see
all and are not even hurt.

Most young people think they are natural when they are only boorish
and rude.

To establish ourselves in the world we do everything to appear as if
we were established.

Why we hate with so much bitterness those who deceive us is because
they think themselves more clever than we are.

Too great a hurry to discharge an obligation is a kind of ingratitude.

The modera