Men would never be superstitious, if they could govern all their circumstances by set rules, or if they were always favoured by fortune: but being frequently driven into straits where rules are useless, and being often kept fluctuating pitiably between hope and fear by the uncertainty of fortune's greedily coveted favours, they are consequently for the most part, very prone to credulity.

Men are especially intolerant of serving and being ruled by, their equals.

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

Hatred which is completely vanquished by love passes into love: and love is thereupon greater than if hatred had not preceded it.

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.

Those who know the true use of money, and regulate the measure of wealth according to their needs, live contented with few things.

In the state of nature, wrong-doing is impossible ; or, if anyone does wrong, it is to himself, not to another.