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.

Equality of possessions is no doubt right, but, as men could not make might obey right, they have made right obey might.

The last advance of reason is to recognize that it is surpassed by innumerable things; it is feeble if it cannot realize that.

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

No soul of high estate can take pleasure in slander. It betrays a weakness.

Faith is different from proof; the latter is human, the former is a Gift from God.

Nothing is so insufferable to man as to be completely at rest, without passions, without business, without diversion, without study. He then feels his nothingness, his forlornness, his insufficiency, his dependence, his weakness, his emptiness. There will immediately arise from the depth of his heart weariness, gloom, sadness, fretfulness, vexation, despair.