If a man had begun to hate an object of his love, so that love is thoroughly destroyed, he will, causes being equal, regard it with more hatred than if he had never loved it, and his hatred will be in proportion to the strength of his former love.

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.

Men who are ruled by reason desire nothing for themselves which they would not wish for all mankind.

In so far as the mind sees things in their eternal aspect, it participates in eternity.

Ambition is the immoderate desire for honor.

If we love something similar to ourselves, we endeavor, as far as we can, to bring it about that it should love us in return.

Academies that are founded at public expense are instituted not so much to cultivate men's natural abilities as to restrain them.