A man is as much affected pleasurably or painfully by the image of a thing past or future as by the image of a thing present.

We can always get along better by reason and love of truth than by worry of conscience and remorse...we should strive to keep worry from our life.

A free man, who lives among ignorant people, tries as much as he can to refuse their benefits. .. He who lives under the guidance of reason endeavours as much as possible to repay his fellow's hatred, rage, contempt, etc. with love and nobleness.

The more intelligible a thing is, the more easily it is retained in the memory, and counterwise, the less intelligible it is, the more easily we forget it.

He who regulates everything by laws, is more likely to arouse vices than reform them.

Desire is the very essence of man

We are so constituted by Nature that we easily believe the things we hope for, but believe only with difficulty those we fear, and that we regard such things more or less highly than is just. This is the source of the superstitions by which men everywhere are troubled. For the rest, I don