I always say to myself, what is the most important thing we can think about at this extraordinary moment.

It is a common fault never to be satisfied with our fortune, nor dissatisfied with our understanding.

Usually we praise only to be praised.

Humility is often a false front we employ to gain power over others.

The passions of youth are not more dangerous to health than is the lukewarmness of old age.

The violence we do to ourselves in order to remain faithful to the one we love is hardly better than an act of infidelity.

Philosophy finds it an easy matter to vanquish past and future evils, but the present are commonly too hard for it.