Aphorisms

The desire to appear clever often prevents one from becoming so.

The only safety for the vanquished is to hope for no safety.

They change their sky, not their soul, who rush across the sea.

You may drive out nature with a pitchfork, yet she will always come back.

Self-respect: the secure feeling that no one, as yet, is suspicious.

It is hard to believe that a man is telling the truth when you know that you would lie if you were in his place.

It is a sin to believe evil of others, but it is seldom a mistake.

Conscience: the inner voice which warns us that someone may be looking.

The surest way to get a reputation as a liar is to pretend to be very good. The next surest way is to pretend to be very wicked.

The first step of wisdom is to accuse everything; the last, to make peace with everything.

The ordinary mind always conforms to the prevailing opinion and the prevailing fashion.

We should desire few things ardently if we knew perfectly what we desire.