“The only people who can be excused for letting a bad book loose on the world are the poor devils who have to write for a living.”

The scandal of the world is what makes the offence; it is not sinful to sin in silence.

There is no secret of the heart which our actions do not disclose.

The trees that are slow to grow bear the best fruit.

We must take the good with the bad; For the good when it’s good, is so very good That the bad when it’s bad can’t be bad!

He who follows his lessons tastes a profound peace, and looks upon everybody as a bunch of manure.

There are pretenders to piety as well as to courage.

Virtue is the first title of nobility.

Hypocrisy is a fashionable vice, and all fashionable vices pass for virtue.

Perfect good sense shuns all extremity, content to couple wisdom with sobriety.

They would have everybody be as blind as themselves: to them, to be clear-sighted is libertinism.

It’s an odd job, making decent people laugh.

Oh, I may be devout, but I am human all the same.

Words and deeds are far from being one. Much that is talked about is left undone.

Outside of Paris, there is no hope for the cultured.

Of all human foibles love of living is the most powerful.

He must have killed a lot of men to have made so much money.