It was glorious to acquire a throne by justice, yet more glorious to prefer justice before a throne; the same virtue which made the one appear worthy of regal power exalted the other to the disregard of it.

It is better to deserve honors and not have them than to have them and not deserve them.

It's so much nicer to be a secret and delightful sin to anybody than to be a feather in his cap.

This curious world we inhabit is more wonderful than convenient; more beautiful than it is useful; it is more to be admired and enjoyed than used.

It takes greater virtues to bear good fortune than bad.

Becoming is better than being.

To endure is greater than to dare; to tire out hostile fortune; to be daunted my no difficulty; to keep heart when all have lost it; to go through intrigue spotless; to forgo even ambition when the end is gained - who can say this is not greatness?

It is the hither accomplishment to use money well than to use arms; but not to need it is more noble than to use it.

Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.

it is a thing much more worthy of admiration and praise to receive admonition meekly, than to admonish a transgressor boldly.

Becoming is superior to being.

Die as a sacrifice is more worthy then a suicide

Often the contempt of vainglory becomes a source of even more vainglory, for it is not being scorned when the contempt is something one is proud of.

It is the triumph of superior reason to live with folks who don't have any.