By annihilating desires, you annihilate the mind.

There are men whom a happy disposition, a strong desire of glory and esteem, inspire with the same love for justice and virtue which men in general have for riches and honors. But the number of these men is so small that I only mention them in honor of humanity.

Every man without passions has within him no principle of action, nor motive to act.

Pleasure and pain are the only springs of action in man, and always will be.

Virtue has many preachers, but few martyrs.

A man who believes that he eats his God we do not call mad; yet, a man who says he is Jesus Christ, we call mad.

Harsh counsels have no effect; they are like hammers which are always repulsed by the anvil.