“I write to keep from going mad from the contradictions I find among mankind – and to work some of those contradictions out for myself.”

The thing I fear most is fear.

Unless a man feels he has a good enough memory, he should never venture to lie.

He who fears he shall suffer, already suffers what he fears.

A wise man never loses anything, if he has himself.

Fame and tranquility can never be bedfellows.

Rejoice in the things that are present; all else is beyond thee.

The ceaseless labour of your life is to build the house of death.

It is a monstrous thing that I will say, but I will say it all the same: I find in many things more restraint and order in my morals than in my opinions, and my lust less depraved than my reason.

The worst of my actions or conditions seem not so ugly unto me as I find it both ugly and base not to dare to avouch for them.

I prefer the company of peasants because they have not been educated sufficiently to reason incorrectly.

The way of the world is to make laws, but follow custom.

No wind serves him who addresses his voyage to no certain port.

One may be humble out of pride.

My trade and art is to live.

There is a sort of gratification in doing good which makes us rejoice in ourselves.

There is no pleasure to me without communication: there is not so much as a sprightly thought comes into my mind that it does not grieve me to have produced alone, and that I have no one to tell it to.