Honorable beginnings should serve to awaken curiosity, not to heighten people's expectations. We are much better off when reality surpasses our expectations, and something turns out better than we thought it would.
The envious die not once, but as oft as the envied win applause.
Possession hinders enjoyment. It merely gives you the right to keep things for or from others, and thus you gain more enemies than friends.
We often have to put up with most from those on whom we most depend.
Attain and maintain a reputation, for it is the usufruct of fame. A stiff climb, for it is the issue of excellence, as rare as mediocrity is common.
Courtesy is the politic witchery of great personages.
Character and intelligence are the poles you talent spins on, displaying your gifts.
Harness the imagination, for she is the whole of happiness.
He who laughs at everything is as big a fool as he who weeps at everything.
Cultivate those who can teach you.
Aspire rather to be a hero than merely appear one.
Let him that hath no power of patience retire within himself, though even there he will have to put up with himself.
Wise men appreciate all men, for they see the good in each and know how hard it is to make anything good.
Beauty and folly are generally companions.
What is not seen is as if it was not. Even the Right does not receive proper consideration if it does not seem right.
Many of the things that bring delight should not be owned. They are more enjoyed if another's, than if yours; the first day they give pleasure to the owner, but in all the rest to the others: what belongs to another rejoices doubly, because it is without the risk of going stale and with the satisfaction of freshness. . . the possession of things not only diminishes their enjoyment, but augments their annoyance, whether shared or not shared.
Make your friends your teachers and mingle the pleasures of conversation with the advantages of instruction.
If to talk to oneself when alone is folly, it must be doubly unwise to listen to oneself in the presence of others.
Display startling novelty-rise afresh like the sun every day. Change too the scene on which you shine, so that you rloss may be felt in the old scenes of your triumph, while the novelty of your powers wins applause in the new.
The wise person finds enemies more useful than the fool does friends .
The passions are the humors of the mind, and the least excess sickens our judgment. If the disease spreads to the mouth, your reputation will be in danger.
It is a great misfortune to be of use to nobody; scarcely less to be of use to everybody.
No one demands more caution than a spy, and when someone has the skeleton key to minds, counter him by leaving the key of caution inside, on the other side of the keyhole.
Man is born a barbarian, and only raises himself above the beast by culture.
The sage never seems to know his own merits, for only by not noticing them can you call others' attention to them.
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