My life has been full of terrible misfortunes most of which never happened.

How many things we held yesterday as articles of faith which today we tell as fables.

Authors communicate with the people by some special extrinsic mark; I am the first to do so by my entire being, as Michel de Montaigne.

Valor is stability, not of legs and arms, but of courage and the soul.

A wellborn mind that is practiced in dealing with people makes itself thoroughly agreeable by itself. Art is nothing else but thelist and record of the productions of such minds.

Meditation is a rich and powerful method of study for anyone who knows how to examine his mind.

There is nothing on which men are commonly more intent than on making a way for their opinions.