Marriage can be compared to a cage: birds outside it despair to enter, and birds within, to escape.

The land of marriage has this peculiarity: that strangers are desirous of inhabiting it, while its natural inhabitants would willingly be banished from thence.

A man never speaks of himself without losing something. What he says in his disfavor is always beleived, but when he commends himself, he arouses mistrust.

A tutor should not be continually thundering instruction into the ears of his pupil, as if he were pouring it through a funnel, but, after having put the lad, like a young horse, on a trot, before him, to observe his paces, and see what he is able to perform, should, according to the extent of his capacity, induce him to taste, to distinguish, and to find out things for himself; sometimes opening the way, at other times leaving it for him to open; and by abating or increasing his own pace, accommodate his precepts to the capacity of his pupil.

I listen with attention to the judgment of all men; but so far as I can remember, I have followed none but my own.

... whoever believes anything esteems that it is a work of charity to persuade another of it.

I am disgusted with innovation, in whatever guise, and with reason, for I have seen very harmful effects of it.