The captain of a ship is not chosen from those of the passengers who comes from the best family.

We never love a person, but only qualities.

There are only three types of people; those who have found God and serve him; those who have not found God and seek him, and those who live not seeking, or finding him. The first are rational and happy; the second unhappy and rational, and the third foolish and unhappy.

Notwithstanding the sight of all our miseries, which press upon us and take us by the throat, we have an instinct which we cannot repress, and which lifts us up.

The last thing we decide in writing a book is what to put first.

We desire truth, and find within ourselves only uncertainty. We seek happiness, and find only misery and death. We cannot but desire truth and happiness, and are incapable of certainty or happiness.

Anyone who found the secret of rejoicing when things go well without being annoyed when they go badly would have found the point.