All deception in the course of life is indeed nothing else but a lie reduced to practice, and falsehood passing read more

All deception in the course of life is indeed nothing else but a lie reduced to practice, and falsehood passing from words into things.

We never deceive for a good purpose: knavery adds malice to
falsehood.
[Fr., On ne trompe point en read more

We never deceive for a good purpose: knavery adds malice to
falsehood.
[Fr., On ne trompe point en bien; la fourberie ajoute la malice
au mensonge.]

It seems to me that there are two kinds of trickery: the "fronts" people assume before one another's eyes, and read more

It seems to me that there are two kinds of trickery: the "fronts" people assume before one another's eyes, and the "front" a writer puts on the face of reality.

When one is in love, one always begins by deceiving one's self, and one always ends by deceiving others. That read more

When one is in love, one always begins by deceiving one's self, and one always ends by deceiving others. That is what world calls a romance.

Hateful to me as are the gates of hell,
Is he who, hiding one thing in his heart,
read more

Hateful to me as are the gates of hell,
Is he who, hiding one thing in his heart,
Utters another.

Tricks and treachery are the practice of fools, that don't have brains enough to be honest.

Tricks and treachery are the practice of fools, that don't have brains enough to be honest.

But Esau's hands suit ill with Jacob's voice.

But Esau's hands suit ill with Jacob's voice.

There is a cunning which we in England call the turning of the
cat in the pan.

There is a cunning which we in England call the turning of the
cat in the pan.

Men are always sincere. They change sincerities, that's all.

Men are always sincere. They change sincerities, that's all.