The exterior must be joined to the interior to obtain anything from God, that is to say, we must kneel, pray with the lips, and soon, in order that proud man, who would not submit himself to God, may be now subject to the creature.

Those are weaklings who know the truth and uphold it as long as it suits their purpose, and then abandon it.

When I consider the small span of my life absorbed in the eternity of all time, or the small part of space which I can touch or see engulfed by the infinite immensity of spaces that I know not and that know me not, I am frightened and astonished to see myself here instead of there … now instead of then.

He that takes truth for his guide, and duty for his end, may safely trust to God's providence to lead him aright.

All this visible world is but an imperceptible point in the ample bosom of nature.

If we dreamed the same thing every night, it would affect us much as the objects we see every day. And if a common workman were sure to dream every night for twelve hours that he was a king, I believe he would be almost as happy as a king who should dream every night for twelve hours on end that he was a common workman.

[On vanity:] The nose of Cleopatra: if it had been shorter, the face of the earth would have changed.