Each person calls barbarism whatever is not his or her own practice.... We may call Cannibals barbarians, in respect to the rulesof reason, but not in respect to ourselves, who surpass them in every kind of barbarity.

Nobody is exempt from saying stupid things, the harm is to do it presumptuously.

He loves little who loves by rule.

Greatness of soul consists not so much in soaring high and in pressing forward, as in knowing how to adapt and limit oneself.

Our own peculiar human condition is that we are as fit to be laughed at as able to laugh.

The shortest way to arrive at glory would be to do that for conscience which we do for glory.

There is, nevertheless, a certain respect and a general duty of humanity that ties us, not only to beasts that have life and sense, but even to trees and plants.