There is no better proof of a man's being truly good than his desiring to be constantly under the observation of good men.
A refusal of praise is a desire to be praised twice.
When we disclaim praise, it is only showing our desire to be praised a second time.
Politeness is a desire to be treated politely, and to be esteemed polite oneself.
There are various sorts of curiosity; one is from interest, which makes us desire to know that which may be useful to us; and the other, from pride which comes from the wish to know what others are ignorant of.
We never desire strongly, what we desire rationally.
Our desires always disappoint us; for though we meet with something that gives us satisfaction, yet it never thoroughly answers our expectation. [However disappointment can always be removed if we remember it could have turned out worse.]
The desire of talking of ourselves, and showing those faults we do not mind having seen, makes up a good part of our sincerity.
There are few things we should keenly desire if we really knew what we wanted.
The desire to seem clever often keeps us from being so.
A great many men's gratitude is nothing but a secret desire to hook in more valuable kindnesses hereafter.
Love of glory, fear of shame, greed for fortune, the desire to make life agreeable and comfortable, and the wish to depreciate others - all of these are often the causes of the bravery that is spoken so highly of by men.
We should scarcely desire things ardently if we were perfectly acquainted with what we desire.
We should wish for few things with eagerness, if we perfectly knew the nature of that which was the object of our desire.
Moderation is caused by the fear of exciting the envy and contempt which those merit who are intoxicated with their good fortune; it is a vain display of our strength of mind, and in short the moderation of men at their greatest height is only a desire to appear greater than their fortune.
Reconciliation with our enemies is simply a desire to better our condition, a weariness of war, or the fear of some unlucky thing from occurring.
Virtue is the habit of acting according to wisdom. GOTTFRIED WILHELM LEIBNIZ, "Felicity", Leibniz: Political Writings Virtue is harder to be got than knowledge of the world; and, if lost in a young man, is seldom recovered. JOHN LOCKE, Some Thoughts Concerning Education However wicked men may be, they do not dare openly to appear the enemies of virtue, and when they desire to persecute her they either pretend to believe her false or attribute crimes to her.
The desire to be thought clever often prevents a man from becoming so.
The contempt of riches in philosophers was only a hidden desire to avenge their merit upon the injustice of fortune, by despising the very goods of which fortune had deprived them; it was a secret to guard themselves against the degradation of poverty, it was a back way by which to arrive at that distinction which they could not gain by riches.
The greatest part of intimate confidences proceed from a desire either to be pitied or admired.
When we exaggerate our friends' tenderness towards us, it is often less from gratitude than from a desire to exhibit our own virtue.
Before we passionately desire a thing, we should examine the happiness of its possessor.
Happiness does not consist in things themselves but in the relish we have of them; and a man has attained it when he enjoys what he loves and desires himself, and not what other people think lovely and desirable.
The most clever and polite are content with only seeming attentive while we perceive in their mind and eyes that at the very time they are wandering from what is said and desire to return to what they want to say.
The gratitude of most men is but a secret desire of receiving greater benefits.
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