Before receiving your instruction, I must tell you what happened to me one day. I had just had a closet built at the end of my garden. I heard a mole arguing with a cockchafer; 'Here's a fine structure,' said the mole, 'it must have been a very powerful mole who did this work.' 'You're joking,' said the cockchafer; 'it's a cockchafer full of genius who is the architect of this building.' From that moment I resolved never to argue.

Being unable to make people more reasonable, I preferred to be happy away from them

Your destiny is that of a man, your vows those of a god.

To pray to God is to flatter oneself that with words one can alter nature.

Men hate the individual whom they call avaricious only because there is nothing to be gained by him.

Chess is a game which reflects most honor on human wit.

Men argue. Nature acts.