Shakespeare's fault is not the greatest into which a poet may fall. It merely indicates a deficiency of taste.

At an early age I sucked up the milk of Homer, Virgil, Horace, Terence, Anacreon, Plato and Euripides, diluted with that of Moses and the prophets.

A thing is not proved because no one has ever questioned it... Skepticism is the first step toward truth.

I have not the hope of being immortal, because the desire of it has not given me that vanity.

The philosopher forms his principles on an infinity of particular observations. He does not confuse truth with plausibility, he takes for truth what is true, for false what is false, for doubtful what is doubtful, and probable what is probable. The philosophical spirit is thus a spirit of observation and accuracy.

There is less harm to be suffered in being mad among madmen than in being sane all by oneself.

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