Eloquence is a painting of the thoughts.

There is nothing so insupportable to man as to be in entire repose, without passion, occupation, amusement, or application. Then it is that he feels his own nothingness, isolation, insignificance, dependent nature, powerless, emptiness. Immediately there issue from his soul ennui, sadness, chagrin, vexation, despair.

Nothing fortifies scepticism more than that there are some who are not sceptics; if all were so, they would be wrong.

The great mass of people judge well of things, for they are in natural ignorance, which is man's true state.

Imagination decides everything.

When we do not know the truth of a thing, it is good that there should exist a common error which determines the mind of man, as, for example, the moon, to which is attributed the change of seasons, the progress of diseases, etc. For the chief malady of man is a restless curiosity about things which he cannot understand; and it is not so bad for him to be in error as to be curious to no purpose.

Faith embraces many truths which seem to contradict each other.