Man was born free, and he is everywhere in chains. Those who think themselves the masters of others are indeed greater slaves than they.

Whatever may be our natural talents, the art of writing is not acquired all at once.

Although modesty is natural to man, it is not natural to children. Modesty only begins with the knowledge of evil.

By doing good we become good.

We cannot teach children the danger of telling lies to men without realising, on the man's part, the danger of telling lies to children. A single untruth on the part of the master will destroy the results of his education.

I have always said and felt that true enjoyment can not be described.

I was not much afraid of punishment, I was only afraid of disgrace.But that I feared more than death, more than crime, more than anything in the world. I should have rejoiced if the earth had swallowed me up and stifled me in the abyss. But my invincible sense of shame prevailed over everything . It was my shame that made me impudent, and the more wickedly I behaved the bolder my fear of confession made me. I saw nothing but the horror of being found out, of being publicly proclaimed, to my face, as a thief, as a liar, and slanderer.