Our skin is provided as adequately as theirs with endurance against the assaults of the weather: witness so many nations who have not yet tried the use of any clothes. Our ancient Gauls wore hardly any clothes; nor do the Irish, our neighbors, under so cold a sky.

All opinions in the world agree in this, that pleasure is our end, although they differ as to the means of attaining it.

True freedom is to have power over oneself for everything.

Happiness involves working toward meaningful goals.

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.

Were I to live my life over again, I should live it just as I have done. I neither complain of the past, nor do I fear the future.

I consider myself an average man, except in the fact that I consider myself an average man.