I forget most of what I read, just as I do most of what I have eaten, but I know that both contribute no less to the conservation of my mind and my body on that account.

We now possess four principles of morality: 1) a philosophical: do good for its own sake, out of respect for the law; 2) a religious: do good because it is God's will, out of love of God; 3) a human: do good because it will promote your happiness, out of self-love; 4) a political: do good because it will promote the welfare of the society of which you are a part, out of love of society having regard to yourself. But is this not all one single principle, only viewed from different sides?

People who never have any time on their hands are those who do the least.

If an angel were to tell us about his philosophy, I believe many of his statements might well sound like '2 x 2= 13'.

It is too bad if you have to do everything upon reflection and can't do anything from early habit.

The wisdom of providence is as much revealed in the rarity of genius, as in the circumstance that not everyone is deaf or blind.

A donkey appears to me like a horse translated into Dutch.