The mind of the greatest man on earth is not so independent of circumstances as not to feel inconvenienced by the merest buzzing noise about him; it does not need the report of a cannon to disturb his thoughts. The creaking of a vane or a pully is quite enough. Do not wonder that he reasons ill just now; a fly is buzzing by his ear; it is quite enough to unfit him for giving good counsel.

Being unable to cure death, wretchedness, and ignorance, men have decided, in order to be happy, not to think about such things.

Man is so made that if he is told often enough that he is a fool he believes it.

In faith there is enough light for those who want to believe and enough shadows to blind those who don't.

The imagination enlarges little objects so as to fill our souls with a fantastic estimate; and, with rash insolence, it belittles the great to its own measure, as when talking of God.

When some passion or effect is described in a natural style, we find within ourselves the truth of what we hear, without knowing it was there.

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