Cold words freeze people, and hot words scorch them, and bitter words make them bitter, and wrathful words make them wrathful. Kind words also produce their own image on men's souls; and a beautiful image it is. They smooth, and quiet, and comfort the hearer.

Our nature consists in motion; complete rest is death.

Vanity is so anchored in the heart of man that a soldier, a soldier's servant, a cook, a porter brags and wishes to have his admirers. Even philosophers wish for them. Those who write against vanity want to have the glory of having written well; and those who read it desire the glory of having read it. I who write this have perhaps this desire, and perhaps those who will read it.

Those honor nature well, who teach that she can speak on everything...

All the unhappiness of men arises from one single fact, that they cannot stay quietly in their own chamber.

Men are so necessarily mad, that not to be mad would amount to another form of madness.

All the miseries of mankind come from one thing, not knowing how to remain alone.