In true friendship, in which I am expert, I give myself to my friend more than I draw him to me. I not only like doing him good better than having him do me good, but also would rather have him do good to himself than to me; he does me most good when he does himself good.

I see this evident, that we willingly accord to piety only the services that flatter our passions.

He that had never seen a river, imagined the first he met with to be the sea.

It is only certain that there is nothing certain, and that nothing is more miserable or more proud than man.

I set forth notions that are human and my own, simply as human notions considered in themselves, not as determined and decreed by heavenly ordinance.

I turn my gaze inward. I fix it there and keep it busy. I look inside myself. I continually observe myself.

Judgement can do without knowledge: but not knowledge without judgement.