The institution of religion exists only to keep mankind in order, and to make men merit the goodness of God by their virtue. Everything in a religion which does not tend towards this goal must be considered foreign or dangerous.

Society therefore is an ancient as the world.

But nothing is more estimable than a physician who, having studied nature from his youth, knows the properties of the human body, the diseases which assail it, the remedies which will benefit it, exercises his art with caution, and pays equal attention to the rich and the poor.

History is only the pattern of silken slippers descending the stairs to the thunder of hobnailed boots climbing upward from below.

Very learned women are to be found, in the same manner as female warriors; but they are seldom or ever inventors.

Everyone places his good where he can and has as much of it as he can, in his own way.

It was decided by the university of Coimbre that the sight of several persons being slowly burned in great ceremony is an infallible secret for preventing earthquakes.