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.

Satire lies about literary men while they live and eulogy lies about them when they die.

I swear that, not being able to be yours, I will belong to no one.

Let us help one another to bear our burdens.

Meslier was the most singular phenomenon ever seen among all the meteors fatal to the Christian religion.

The multiplicity of facts and writings is become so great that every thing must soon be reduced to extracts and dictionaries.

The passions are the winds which fill the sails of the vessel; they sink it at times, but without them it would be impossible to make way.