407.—It may well be that those who have trapped us by their tricks do not seem to us so foolish as we seem to ourselves when trapped by the tricks of others.
408.—The most dangerous folly of old persons who have been loveable is to forget that they are no longer so.
["Every woman who is not absolutely ugly thinks herself handsome. The suspicion of age no woman, let her be ever so old, forgives."—Lord Chesterfield, Letter 129.]
409.—We should often be ashamed of our very best actions if the world only saw the motives which caused them.
410.—The greatest effort of friendship is not to show our faults to a friend, but to show him his own.
4ll.—We have few faults which are not far more excusable than the means we adopt to hide them.
412.—Whatever disgrace we may have deserved, it is almost always in our power to re-establish our character.
["This is hardly a period at which the most irregular character may not be redeemed. The mistakes of one sin find a retreat in patriotism, those of the other in devotion." —Junius, Letter To The King.]
413.—A man cannot please long who has only one kind of wit.
[According to Segrais this maxim was a hit at Racine and Boileau, who, despising ordinary conversation, talked incessantly of literature; but there is some doubt as to Segrais' statement.—Aimé Martin.]