Let us leave every man at liberty to seek into him and to lose himself in his ideas.

The harmony of a concert, to which you listen with delight, must have on certain classes of minute animals the effect of terrible thunder; perhaps it kills them.

Prejudices are what rule the vulgar crowd.

I cannot imagine how the clockwork of the universe can exist without a clockmaker.

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

I have been a hundred times on the point of killing myself, but still was fond of life. This ridiculous weakness is perhaps one of our worst instincts. What can be more absurd than choosing to carry a burden that one really wants to throw to the ground? To detest, and yet to strive to preserve our existence? To caress the serpent that devours us, and hug him close to our bosoms till he has gnawed into our hearts?

Exaggeration, the inseparable companion of greatness.