As long as there are rich people in the world, they will be desirous of distinguishing themselves from the poor.

Our greatest misfortunes come to us from ourselves.

Frequent punishments are always a sign of weakness or laziness on the part of a government.

Being wealthy isn't just a question of having lots of money. It's a question of what we want. Wealth isn't an absolute, it's relative to desire. Every time we seek something that we can't afford, we can be counted as poor, how much money we may actually have.

Conscience is the voice of the soul, the passions are the voice of the body. Is it astonishing that often these two languages contradict each other, and then to which must we listen? Too often reason deceives us; we have only too much acquired the right of refusing to listen to it; but conscience never deceives us; it is the true guide of man; it is to man what instinct is to the body; which follows it, obeys nature, and never is afraid of going astray.

There is not a single ill-doer who could not be turned to some good.

Our greatest evils flow from ourselves.