Clearness ornaments profound thoughts.

In order to do great things, it is necessary to live as if one was never to die.

Men crowd into honorable careers without other vocation than their vanity, or at best their love of fame.

The favorites of fortune or of fame topple from their pedestals before our eyes without diverting us from ambition.

Reason and emotion counsel and supplement each other. Whoever heeds only the one, and puts aside the other, recklessly deprives himself of a portion of the aid granted us for the regulation of our conduct.

We can console ourselves for not having great talents as we console ourselves for not having great places. We can be above both in our hearts.

It is easy to criticize an author, but difficult to appreciate him.