Chess is the gymnasium of the mind.

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

Things have different qualities, and the soul different inclinations; for nothing is simple which is presented to the soul, and the soul never presents itself simply to any object. Hence it comes that we weep and laugh at the same thing.

The multitude which does not reduce itself to unity is confusion.

Let each of us examine his thoughts; he will find them wholly concerned with the past or the future. We almost never think of the present, and if we do think of it, it is only to see what light is throws on our plans for the future. The present is never our end. The past and the present are our means, the future alone our end. Thus we never actually live, but hope to live, and since we are always planning how to be happy, it is inevitable that we should never be so.

Things are always at their best in their beginning.

Man's true nature being lost, everything becomes his nature; as, his true good being lost, everything becomes his good.