Does not vanity itself cease to be blamable, is it not even ennobled, when it is directed to laudable objects, when it confines itself to prompting us to great and generous actions?

Isn't it better to have men being ungrateful than to miss a chance to do good?

There is only one virtue, justice; only one duty, to be happy; only one corollary, not to overvalue life and not to fear death.

Instinct guides the animal better than the man. In the animal it is pure, in man it is led astray by his reason and intelligence.

I discuss with myself questions of politics, love, taste, or philosophy. I let my mind rove wantonly, give it free rein to followany idea, wise or mad that may present itself. My ideas are my harlots.

But if you will recall the history of our civil troubles, you will see half the nation bathe itself, out of piety, in the blood of the other half, and violate the fundamental feelings of humanity in order to sustain the cause of God: as though it were necessary to cease to be a man in order to prove oneself religious!

Only the bad man is alone.