God ceases to be God only for those who can admit the possibility of His non-existence, and that conception is in itself the most severe punishment they can suffer.

From that moment our love became sad, and sadness is a disease which gives the death-blow to affection.

They are the follies inherent to youth; I make sport of them, and, if you are kind, you will not yourself refuse them a good-natured smile.

The philosopher is a person who refuses no pleasures which do not produce greater sorrows, and who knows how to create new ones.

Desires are but pain and torment, and enjoyment is sweet because it delivers us from them.

Love is a great poet, its resources are inexhaustible, but if the end it has in view is not obtained, it feels weary and remains silent.

In fact, to gull a fool seems to me an exploit worthy of a witty man.