The majority of the books of our time give one the impression of having been manufactured in a day out of books read the day before.

All passions exaggerate; and they are passions only because they do exaggerate.

The contact of two epidermises.

Public opinion reigns in society because stupidity reigns amongst the stupid.

Wicked people sometimes perform good actions. I suppose they wish to see if this gives as great a feeling of pleasure as the virtuous claim for it.

The success of many books is due to the affinity between the mediocrity of the author's ideas and those of the public.

Pleasure may come from illusion, but happiness can come only of reality.