C'est le plus grande de toutes les faiblesses, que de craindre trop rie paraître faible. - Jacques Bénigne Bossuet

Nature, or to speak in more Christian fashion, God, the common Father of men, from the outset gave equal rights to all his children to all the things they needed to preserve their lives. None of us can boast of being more privileged than the rest by nature; but through the insatiable desire to amass wealth, it became impossible for this beautiful brotherhood to endure for long in the world. Men had to resort to division and possession, which resulted in constant quarrels and litigation; of this were born the words 'mine' and 'thine'—such cold terms, as the admirable St. John Chrysostom remarks—of this, too, was born the great diversity of conditions, some living in affluence in every respect, others languishing in penury.

[L]e monde même vous désabuse du monde.

In the midst of the disguises and artifices that reign among men, it is only attention and vigilance that can save us from surprises.