A child who passes through many hands in turn, can never be well brought up. At every change he makes a secret comparison, which continually tends to lessen his respect for those who control him, and with it their authority over him. If once he thinks there are grown-up people with no more sense than children the authority of age is destroyed and his education is ruined.

Reason deceives us; conscience, never.

One thinks himself the master of others, and still remains a greater slave than they.

Women, in general, are not attracted to art at all, nor knowledge, and not at all to genius.

As soon as any man says of the affairs of the State "What does it matter to me?" the State may be given up for lost.

When my reason is afloat, my faith cannot long remain in suspense, and I believe in God as firmly as in any other truth whatever; in short, a thousand motives draw me to the consolatory side, and add the weight of hope to the equilibrium of reason.

The strongest is never strong enough to be always the master, unless he transforms strength into right, and obedience into duty.