The greater intellect one has, the more originality one finds in men. Ordinary persons find no difference between men.

Equality of possessions is no doubt right, but, as men could not make might obey right, they have made right obey might.

When a natural discourse paints a passion or an effect, one feels within oneself the truth of what one reads, which was there before, although one did not know it. Hence one is inclined to love him who makes us feel it, for he has not shown us his own riches, but ours. ...such community of intellect that we have with him necessarily inclines the heart to love.

...for the truth is always older than all the opinions men have held regarding it; and one should be ignoring the nature of truth if we imagined that the truth began at the time it came to be known.

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

There are people who lie simply for the sake of lying.

For nature is an image of Grace, and visible miracles are images of the invisible.