Definitions HQ

Self-love (n.) wounded ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠by neglect can carry a wit's vengeance for twenty years.

Self-love (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠an instrument useful but dangerous; it often wounds the band which makes use of it, and seldom does good without doing barm.

Self-love (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠the only natural passion, good in itself; it becomes good or bad only by the use made of it and the relations established through it.

Self-love (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠the root and spring of all passions, the only one born with man and the only one that never leaves him; all the others are its modifications.

Self-love (n.) in ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠men of letters is so irritable that a compliment left the least bit equivocal becomes a mortal offense: Rousseau's 'not for the author of the Mercure, but for M. Marmontel' made an enemy for life.