What men call civilization is the condition of present customs; what they call barbarism, the condition of past ones.

Justice is the sanction of established injustice.

Change is the essence of life.

When a history book contains no lies it is always tedious.

Ugly women may be naturally quite as capricious as pretty ones; but as they are never petted and spoiled, and as no allowances are made for them, they soon find themselves obliged either to suppress their whims or to hide them.

Suffering... We owe to it all that is good in us, all that gives value to life; we owe to it pity, we owe to it courage, we owe to it all the virtues.

It is in the ability to deceive oneself that the greatest talent is shown.