In 1795, Burr advised his daughter Theodosia to retain her serenity at all costs.  If only he had followed his own advice nine years later when he challenged Alexander Hamilton to a duel!

Receive with calmness ever reproof, whether made kindly or unkindly, whether just or unjust.  Consider within yourself whether there has been no cause for it.  If it has been groundless and unjust, nevertheless bear it with composure. . . .[Y]ou will always feel better, much happier, for having borne with the serenity the spleen of anyone, than if you had returned spleen for spleen.

Or, in Hamilton’s case, bullet for bullet.  Burr survived the duel, but his reputation did not.