["If individuals have no virtues their vices may be of use to us."--Junius, 5th Oct. 1771.] 187.--The name of virtue is as useful to our interest as that of vice. 188.--The health of the mind is not less uncertain than that of the body, and when passions seem furthest removed we are no less in danger of infection than of falling ill when we are well. 189.--It seems that nature has at man's birth fixed the bounds of his virtues and vices. 190.--Great men should not have great faults. 191.--We may say vices wait on us in the course of our life as the landlords with whom we successively lodge, and if we travelled the road twice over I doubt if our experience would make us avoid them. 192.--When our vices leave us we flatter ourselves with the idea we have left them. 193.--There are relapses in the diseases of the mind as in those of the body; what we call a cure is often no more than an intermission or change of disease. 194.--The defects of the mind are like the wounds of the body. Whatever care we take to heal them the scars ever remain, and there is always danger of their reopening. 195.--The reason which often prevents us abandoning a single vice is having so many. 196.--We easily forget those faults which are known only to ourselves. [Seneca says "Innocentem quisque se dicit respiciens testem non conscientiam."] 197.--There are men of whom we can never believe evil without having seen it. Yet there are very few in whom we should be surprised to see it. 198.--We exaggerate the glory of some men to detract from that of others, and we should praise Prince Conde and Marshal Turenne much less if we did not want to blame them both. [The allusion to Conde and Turenne gives the date at which these maxims were published in 1665. Conde and Turenne were after their campaign with the Imperialists at the height of their fame. It proves the truth of the remark of Tacitus, "Populus neminem sine aemulo sinit."-- Tac. Ann. xiv.] 199.--The desire to appear clever often prevents our being so. 200.--Virtue would not go far did not vanity escort her. 201.--He who thinks he has the power to content the world greatly deceives himself, but he who thinks that the world cannot be content with him deceives himself yet more. 202.--Falsely honest men are those who disguise their faults both to themselves and others; truly honest men are those who know them perfectly and confess them. 203.--He is really wise who is nettled at nothing. 204.--The coldness of women is a balance and burden they add to their beauty. 205.--Virtue in woman is often the love of reputation and repose. 206.--He is a truly good man who desires always to bear the inspection of good men. 207.--Folly follows us at all stages of life. If one appears wise 'tis but because his folly is proportioned to his age and fortune. 208.--There are foolish people who know and who skilfully use their folly. 209.--Who lives without folly is not so wise as he thinks.