It is the passions that do and undo everything.

An educated mind is, as it were, composed of all the minds of preceding ages.

To be happy, one must have a good stomach and a bad heart.

As astronomy is the daughter of idleness, geometry is the daughter of property.

A true philosopher is like an elephant; he never puts the second foot down until the first one is solidly in place.

It takes time to ruin a world, but time is all it takes.

Women react differently: a French woman who sees herself betrayed by her husband will kill his mistress; an Italian will kill her husband; a Spaniard will kill both; and a German will kill herself.