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

I know that the arms of friendship are long enough to reach from the one end of the world to the other

It is a monstrous thing that I will say, but I will say it all the same: I find in many things more restraint and order in my morals than in my opinions, and my lust less depraved than my reason.

All general judgments are loose and imperfect

Nature has made us a present of a broad capacity for entertaining ourselves apart, and often calls us to do so, to teach us that we owe ourselves in part to society, but in the best part to ourselves.

Wisdom has its excesses, and has no less need of moderation than folly.

Necessity is a violent school-mistress.