The greatest single distinguishing feature of the omnipotence of God is that our imagination gets lost thinking about it.

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

It is certain that those who have the living faith in their hearts see at once that all existence is none other than the work of the God whom they adore. But for those in whom this light is extinguished, [if we were to show them our proofs of the existence of God] nothing is more calculated to arouse their contempt. . . .

I have spent much time in the study of the abstract sciences; but the paucity of persons with whom you can communicate on such subjects disgusted me with them. When I began to study man, I saw that these abstract sciences are not suited to him, and that in diving into them, I wandered farther from my real object than those who knew them not, and I forgave them for not having attended to these things. I expected then, however, that I should find some companions in the study of man, since it was so specifically a duty. I was in error. There are fewer students of man than of geometry.

To go beyond the bounds of moderation is to outrage humanity.

The more I see of Mankind, the more I prefer my dog.

All the maxims have been written. It only remains to put them into practice.