Nothing hinders a thing from being natural so much as the straining ourselves to make it seem so.

We get so much in the habit of wearing disguises before others that we finally appear disguised before ourselves.

As great minds have the faculty of saying a great deal in a few words, so lesser minds have a talent of talking much, and saying nothing.

We are so accustomed to disguise ourselves to others that in the end we become disguised to ourselves.

Repentance is not so much remorse for what we have done as the fear of the consequences.

Innocence does not find near so much protection as guilt.