Give, but, if possible, spare the poor man the shame of begging.

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

The bad gives rise to the good, the good inspires the better, the better produces the excellent, the excellent is followed by the bizarre

There is no true sovereign except the nation; there can be no true legislator except the people.

All things must be examined, debated, investigated without exception and without regard for anyone's feelings... We must run roughshod over all these ancient puerilities, overturn the barriers that reason never erected, give back to the arts and sciences the liberty that is so precious to them.

Doctors are always working to preserve our health and cooks to destroy it, but the latter are the more often successful.

The most dangerous madmen are those created by religion, and people whose aim is to disrupt society always know how to make good use of them on occasion.