A lady could not boast of her chastity who was never tempted.

The greatest thing in the world is to know how to belong to oneself.

It is probable that the principal credit of miracles, visions, enchantments, and such extraordinary occurrences comes from the power of imagination, acting principally upon the minds of the common people, which are softer.

Custom is a second nature, and no less powerful.

Since philosophy is the art which teaches us how to live, and since children need to learn it as much as we do at other ages, why do we not instruct them in it? .. But in truth I know nothing about the philosophy of education except this: that the greatest and the most important difficulty known to human learning seems to lie in that area which treats how to bring up children and how to educate them.

There is some shadow of delight and delicacy which smiles upon and flatters us even in the very lap of melancholy.

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