To make judgements about great and lofty things, a soul of the same stature is needed; otherwise we ascribe to them that vice which is our own.

The most fruitful and natural exercise for our minds is, in my opinion, conversation.

There is a plague on Man, the opinion that he knows something.

God defend me from being an honest man according to the description which every day I see made by each man to his own glorification

Why did I love her? Because it was her; because it was me.

A man should ever, as much as in him lieth, be ready booted to take his journey, and above all things look he have then nothing to do but with himself.

I have a vocabulary all my own. I "pass the time" when it is wet and disagreeable. When it is fine I do not wish to pass it; I ruminate it and hold on to it. We should hasten over the bad, and settle upon the good.