Pride and curiosity are the two scourges of our souls. The latter prompts us to poke our noses into everything, and the former forbids us to leave anything unresolved and undecided.

Tortures are a dangerous invention, and seem to be a test of endurance rather than of truth.

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.

I do not understand; I pause; I examine.

I neither complain of the past, nor do I fear the future.

Let us permit nature to have her way. She understands her business better than we do.

In truth, knowledge is a great and very useful quality; those who despise it give evidence enough of their stupidity. Yet I do not set its value at that extreme measure that some attribute to it.