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.

It is of dangerous consequence to represent to man how near he is to the level of beasts, without showing him at the same time his greatness. It is likewise dangerous to let him see his greatness without his meanness. It is more dangerous yet to leave him ignorant of either; but very beneficial that he should be made sensible of both.

Beauty is a harmonious relation between something in our nature and the quality of the object which delights us.

It is dangerous to explain too clearly to man how like he is to the animals without pointing out his greatness. It is also dangerous to make too much of his greatness without his vileness. It is still more dangerous to leave him in ignorance of both, but it is most valuable to represent both to him. Man must not be allowed to believe that he is equal either to animals or to angels, nor to be unaware of either, but he must know both.

One of the greatest artifices the devil uses to engage men in vice and debauchery, is to fasten names of contempt on certain virtues, and thus fill weak souls with a foolish fear of passing for scrupulous, should they desire to put them in practice.

Christian piety annihilates the egoism of the heart; worldly politeness veils and represses it.

Il n'est pas certain que tout soit incertain. (Translation: It is not certain that everything is uncertain.)