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

Discourses on humility are a source of pride in the vain and of humility in the humble.

When malice has reason on its side, it looks forth bravely, and displays that reason in all its luster. When austerity and self-denial have not realized true happiness, and the soul returns to the dictates of nature, the reaction is fearfully extravagant.

The end point of rationality is to demonstrate the limits of rationality.

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.

Our soul is cast into a body, where it finds number, time, dimension. Thereupon it reasons, and calls this nature necessity, and can believe nothing else.

I can well conceive a man without hands, feet, head. But I cannot conceive man without thought; he would be a stone or a brute.