A liar would be brave toward God, while he is a coward toward men; for a lie faces God, and shrinks from man.

Old age is a lease nature only signs as a particular favor, and it may be, to one, only in the space of two or three ages; and then with a pass to boot, to carry him through, all the traverses and difficulties she has strewed in the way of his long career.

If these Essays were worthy of being judged, it might fall out, in my opinion, that they would not find much favour, either with common and vulgar minds, or with uncommon and eminent ones: the former would not find enough in them, the latter would find too much; they might manage to live somewhere in the middle region.

Laws are often made by fools, and even more often by men who fail in equity because they hate equality: but always by men, vain authorities who can resolve nothing.

And truly Philosophy is but sophisticated poetry. Whence do those ancient writers derive all their authority but from the poets?

We should spread joy, but, as far as we can, repress sorrow.

Wisdom is a solid and entire building, of which every piece keeps its place and bears its mark.