The intellect of the generality of women serves more to fortify their folly than their reason.

It is only persons of firmness that can have real gentleness. Those who appear gentle are, in general, only a weak character, which easily changes into asperity.

Consolation for unhappiness can often be found in a certain satisfaction we get from looking unhappy.

Philosophy triumphs easily over past evils and future evils, but present evils triumph over it.

A certain harmony should be kept between actions and ideas if we want to fully develop the effects they can produce.

Those who are condemned to death affect sometimes a constancy and contempt for death which is only the fear of facing it; so that one may say that this constancy and contempt are to their mind what the bandage is to their eyes.

Weak people cannot be sincere.