The husband who decides to surprise his wife is often very much surprised himself.

What is tolerance? It is the consequence of humanity. We are all formed of frailty and error; let us pardon reciprocally each other's folly - that is the first law of nature.

I know many books which have bored their readers, but I know of none which has done real evil.

So it is the human condition that to wish for the greatness of one's fatherland is to wish evil to one's neighbors. The citizen of the universe would be the man who wishes his country never to be either greater or smaller, richer or poorer.

This self-love is the instrument of our preservation; it resembles the provision for the perpetuity of mankind: it is necessary, it is dear to us, it gives us pleasure, and we must conceal it.

Men are equal; it is not birth but virtue that makes the difference.

I know of no great men except those who have rendered great service to the human race.