Philosophy takes as her aim the state of happiness...she shows us what are real and what are only apparent evils. She strips men's minds of empty thinking, bestows a greatness that is solid and administers a check to greatness where it is puffed up and all an empty show; she sees that we are left no doubt about the difference between what is great and what is bloated.

The condition of all who are preoccupied is wretched, but most wretched is the condition of those who labor at preoccupations that are not even their own, who regulate their sleep by that of another, their walk by the pace of another, who are under orders in case of the freest things in the world-loving and hating. If these wish to know how short their life is, let them reflect how small a part of it is their own.

We live not according to reason, but according to fashion.

One of the most beautiful qualities of true friendship is to understand and to be understood.

A troubled countenance oft discloses much.

All things are cause for either laughter or weeping.

A consciousness of wrongdoing is the first step to salvation...you have to catch yourself doing it before you can correct it.