Jesteśmy tak przyzwyczajeni grać komedię wobec drugich, iż w końcu gramy komedię wobec samych siebie. - François de La Rochefoucauld

When our friends have deceived us we owe them but indifference to the tokens of their friendship, yet for their misfortunes we always owe them pity.

"L'absence diminue les médiocres passions, et augmente les grands, comme le vent éteint les bougies et allume le feu.

"Absence diminishes the lesser passions and increases the great ones, just as the wind extinguishes candles but fans a great fire.

Luxury and excessive refinements are sure forerunners of the decadence of states, because when all individuals seek their own interests they neglect the public weal