The war existing between the senses and reason.

The finite is annihilated in the presence of the infinite, and becomes a pure nothing. So our spirit before God, so our justice before divine justice.

The state of man is inconstancy, ennui, anxiety.

If magistrates had true justice, and if physicians had the true art of healing, they would have no occasion for square caps; the majesty of these sciences would itself be venerable enough.

Man is so made that if he is told often enough that he is a fool he believes it.

We implore the mercy of God, not that He may leave us at peace in our vices, but that He may deliver us from them.

Each man is everything to himself, for with his death everything is dead for him. That is why each of us thinks he is everything to everyone. We must not judge nature by ourselves, but by its own standards.