The sure conviction that we could if we wanted to is the reason so many good minds are idle.

Man can acquire accomplishments or he can become an animal, whichever he wants. God makes the animals, man makes himself.

He who says he hates every kind of flattery, and says it in earnest, certainly does not yet know every kind of flattery.

There were honest people long before there were Christians and there are, God be praised, still honest people where there are no Christians. It could therefore easily be possible that people are Christians because true Christianity corresponds to what they would have been even if Christianity did not exist.

Brevity: To say at once whatever is to be said.

A man is never more serious than when he praise himself.

Never undertake anything for which you wouldn't have the courage to ask the blessings of heaven.