The best government is a benevolent tyranny tempered by an occasional assassination.
He was a great patriot, a humanitarian, a loyal friend provided, of course, he really is dead.
The little may contrast with the great, in painting, but cannot be said to be contrary to it. Oppositions of colors contrast but there are also colors contrary to each other, that is, which produce an ill effect because they shock the eye when brought very near it.
The instruction we find in books is like fire. We fetch it from our neighbours, kindle it at home, communicate it to others, and it becomes the property of all.
All men are born with a nose and ten fingers, but no one was born with a knowledge of God.
It is an infantile superstition of the human spirit that virginity would be thought a virtue and not the barrier that separates ignorance from knowledge.
Each player must accept the cards life deals him or her: but once they are in hand, he or she alone must decide how to play the cards in order to win the game.
Life is thickly sown with thorns, and I know no other remedy than to pass quickly through them. The longer we dwell on our misfortunes, the greater is their power to harm us.
The safest course is to do nothing against one's conscience. With this secret, we can enjoy life and have no fear from death.
Love has features which pierce all hearts, he wears a bandage which conceals the faults of those beloved. He has wings, he comes quickly and flies away the same.
Divorce is probably of nearly the same date as marriage. I believe, however, that marriage is some weeks the more ancient.
Of all religions, the Christian should of course inspire the most tolerance, but until now Christians have been the most intolerant of all men.
All men are born with a nose and ten fingers, but no one was born with a knowledge of God.
Men use thought only as authority for their injustice, and employ speech only to conceal their thoughts.
Men hate the individual whom they call avaricious only because nothing can be gained from him.
In general, the art of government consists of taking as much money as possible from one class of citizens to give to another.
I know many books which have bored their readers, but I know of none which has done real evil.
Love has features which pierce all hearts, he wears a bandage which conceals the faults of those beloved. He has wings, he comes quickly and flies away the same.
Life is thickly sown with thorns, and I know no other remedy than to pass quickly through them. The longer we dwell on our misfortunes, the greater is their power to harm us.
You can fool some of the people all of the time and all of the people some of the time - but most of the time they will make fools of themselves.
The world embarrasses me, and I cannot dream that this watch exists and has no watchmaker.
Nothing can be more contrary to religion and the clergy than reason and common sense.