Status Updates From Máximas e Reflexões Morais

The cleverest men go through life decrying trickery either to be in a position to deceive in a crisis, or to achieve a great ambition.

A wise man co-ordinates his interests, and develops them according to their merits. Cupidity defeats its own ends by following so many at once that in our greed for trifles we lose sight of important matters.

Our strength exceeds our will-power; hence we often excuse our failures by pleading the impossibility of success.

A man condemned to die often affects a firmness and a scorn of death which, at bottom, are but his fear of facing it. And this stoicism is to his mind what the bandage is to his eyes.

Enthusiasm is the only convincing orator; it is like the infallible rule of some function of Nature. An enthusiastic simpleton is more persuasive than a silver-tongued orator.

Passion often makes idiots of the wisest men, and clever men of fools.

virtue not necessarily chosen