He who travels much has this advantage over others – that the things he remembers soon become remote, so that in a short time they acquire the vague and poetical quality which is only given to other things by time. He who has not traveled at all has this disadvantage – that all his memories are of things present somewhere, since the places with which all his memories are concerned are present.

The greater part of the people we assign to educate our sons we know for certain are not educated. Yet we do not doubt that they can give what they have not received, a thing which cannot be otherwise acquired.

It's not our disadvantages or shortcomings that are ridiculous, but rather the studious way we try to hide them, and our desire to act as if they did not exist.

The thought that really crushes us is the thought of the futility of life of which death is the visible manifestation.

The most solid pleasure in this life is the empty pleasure of illusion.

Nothing in the world is so rare as a person one can always put up with.

Ignorance is the greatest source of happiness.