Man never rises to great truths without enthusiasm.

You are not born for fame if you don't know the value of time.

Clearness marks the sincerity of philosophers.

Persons of rank do not talk about such trifles as the common people do; but the common people do not busy themselves about such frivolous things as do persons of rank.

The idle always have a mind to do something.

As soon as an opinion becomes common it is sufficient reason for men to abandon it and to uphold the opposite opinion until that in its turn grows old, and they require to distinguish themselves by other things. Thus if they attain their goal in some art or science, we must expect them soon to cast it aside to acquire some fresh fame, and this is partly the reason why the most splendid ages degenerate so quickly, and, scarcely emerged from barbarism, plunge into it again.

The mind is the soul's eye, not its source of power. That lies in the heart, in other words, in the passions.