I admire the assurance and confidence everyone has in himself, whereas there is hardly anything I am sure I know or that I dare give my word I can do.

Who ever saw a doctor use the prescription of his colleague without cutting out or adding something?

There is no course of life so weak and sottish as that which is managed by order, method, and discipline.

To distract myself from tiresome thoughts, I have only to resort to books; they easily draw my mind to themselves and away from other things.

My appetite comes to me while eating.

I aim here only at revealing myself, who will perhaps be different tomorrow, if I learn something new which changes me.

In truth, the care and expense of our fathers aims only at furnishing our heads with knowledge; of judgement and virtue, little news.