Friendship that possesses the whole soul, and there rules and sways with an absolute sovereignty, can admit of no rival.

We only labor to stuff the memory, and leave the conscience and the understanding unfurnished and void.

Man is the sole animal whose nudities offend his own companions, and the only one who, in his natural actions, withdraws and hides himself from his own kind.

When I was young, beautiful ancient statues were castrated, so that the eye might not be corrupted.... Nothing was gained, unless horses and asses had also been castrated.

I find that the best virtue I have has in it some tincture of vice.

Every day I hear stupid people say things that are not stupid.

Human wisdom makes as ill use of her talent when she exercises it in rescinding from the number and sweetness of those pleasures that are naturally our due, as she employs it favorably and well in artificially disguising and tricking out the ills of life to alleviate the sense of them.