The greatness of man is great in that he knows himself to be wretched. A tree does not know itself to be wretched.

We are only falsehood, duplicity, contradiction; we both conceal and disguise ourselves from ourselves.

Reason's last step is the recognition that there are an infinite number of things which are beyond it.

If I had more time, I would have written a shorter letter.

I condemn equally those who choose to praise man, those who choose to condemn him and those who choose to divert themselves, and I can only approve of those who seek with groans.

I would prefer an intelligent hell to a stupid paradise.

Eloquence is an art of saying things in such a way (1) that those to whom we speak may listen to them without pain and with pleasure; (2) that they feel themselves interested, so that self-love leads them more willingly to reflection upon it.

Everything that is written merely to please the author is worthless.

The motions of Grace, the hardness of heart; external circumstances.

Since we cannot be universal and know all that is to be known of everything, we ought to know a little about everything. For it is far better to know something about everything than to know all about one thing.