Eloquence; it requires the pleasant and the real; but the pleasant must itself be drawn from the true.

How vain painting is-we admire the realistic depiction of objects which in their original state we don't admire at all.

If men knew themselves, God would heal and pardon them.

If a man is not made for God, why is he happy only in God?

Men often take their imagination for their heart; and they believe they are converted as soon as they think of being converted.

A man does not show his greatness by being at one extremity, but rather by touching both at once.

There is nothing so insupportable to man as to be in entire repose, without passion, occupation, amusement, or application. Then it is that he feels his own nothingness, isolation, insignificance, dependent nature, powerless, emptiness. Immediately there issue from his soul ennui, sadness, chagrin, vexation, despair.