good sense of pride, and the most noble way

of earning praise.

297.

It is impossible to love a second time what we have once really ceased to love.

298.

It is not so much fertility of invention which presents us with several expedients for attaining the same object, as it is want of intelligence which causes us to hesitate at every thing which presents itself to the imagination, and prevents our discerning at a glance which is the best.

299.

There are certain affairs and diseases, the remedies of which only aggravate them at particular times; and great ability consists in knowing when it is dangerous to apply these remedies.

300.

Affected simplicity is a refined imposture.

301.

There are more faults in the humor than in

the mind.

302.

The merit of men has its season, as fruits

have.

303.

It may be said of men's humors as of many buildings, that they have divers aspects-some agreeable, others disagreeable.

304.

Moderation cannot have the credit of combating and subduing ambition-they are never found together. Moderation is the languor and indolence of the soul, as ambition is its activity and ardor.

305.

We always love those who admire us, and we do not always love those whom we admire.

306.

It is difficult to love those whom we do not esteem; but it is not less so to love those whom we esteem more than ourselves.

306. "To be loved we should merit but little esteem; all superiority attracts awe and aversion."-HELVETIUS.

307.

The humors of the body have a stated and regular course, which impels and imperceptibly guides our will. They co-operate with each other, and exercise successively a secret empire within us; so that they have a considerable part in all our actions, without our being able to know it.

308.

Gratitude in the generality of men is only a strong and secret desire of receiving greater favors.

309.

Almost every one takes a pleasure in requiting trifling obligations; many people are grateful for moderate ones; but there is

308. "Ille (Voconius) tam grate beneficia interpretatur, ut dum priora accipit posteriora mereatur."-PLINY, Ep. ii. 13.

309. Tacitus has furnished us with the limit beyond which favors become irksome. "Beneficia eo usque læta sunt dum videntur exsolvi posse; ubi multum antevenêre pro gratiâ odium redditur."-Annals, book iv. c. 18.

"When I read P. de Comines several years ago, doubtless a very good author, I there took notice of this forno vulgar saying, that a man must have a care of doing his

scarcely any one who does not show ingratitude for great ones.

310.

There are follies as catching as contagious disorders.

311.

There are people enough who despise wealth, but few who know how to bestow it.

312.

It is generally only in petty interests that we run the hazard of not trusting to appear

ances.

313.

In whatever respect people may praise us, they never teach us any thing new.

314.

We often pardon those who weary us, but we cannot pardon those whom we weary.

315.

Interest, which is accused of all our crimes,

master such great service that at last he will not know how to give him his just reward."-MONTAIGNE, Essays, book iii. chap. 8.

often deserves to be praised for our good ac tions.

316.

We seldom find people ungrateful as long as we are in a condition to render them services.

317.

It is as honorable to be boastful to ourselves as it is ridiculous to be so to others.

318.

Men have made a virtue of moderation to limit the ambition of the great, and to console people of mediocrity for their want of fortune and of merit.

319.

There are some people fated to be fools, who not only commit follies from choice, but are compelled to commit them by fortune.

320.

There happen sometimes accidents in life from which it requires a degree of madness to extricate ourselves well.

321.

If there are men whose weak point has