The progress of rivers to the ocean is not so rapid as that of man to error.
— Voltaire
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 ear is the avenue to the heart.
Satire lies about literary men while they live and eulogy lies about them when they die.
Nature has always had more force than education.
Injustice in the end produces independence.
He who is not just is severe, he who is not wise is sad.
Froth at the top, dregs at bottom, but the middle excellent.
Clever tyrants are never punished.
Paradise was made for tender hearts; hell, for loveless hearts.
The Holy Roman Empire is neither Holy, nor Roman, nor an Empire.
Everything's fine today, that is our illusion.
Divorce is probably of nearly the same date as marriage. I believe, however, that marriage is some weeks the more ancient.
Illusion is the first of all pleasures.
He must be very ignorant for he answers every question he is asked.
Perfection is attained by slow degrees; it requires the hand of time.
Doubt is not a pleasant condition, but certainty is absurd.
The opportunity for doing mischief is found a hundred times a day, and of doing good once in a year.
The flowery style is not unsuitable to public speeches or addresses, which amount only to compliment. The lighter beauties are in their place when there is nothing more solid to say; but the flowery style ought to be banished from a pleading, a sermon, or a didactic work.
Tears are the silent language of grief.
Our country is that spot to which our heart is bound.
It is vain for the coward to flee; death follows close behind; it is only by defying it that the brave escape.
In every author let us distinguish the man from his works.
He who has not the spirit of this age, has all the misery of it.
Fear follows crime and is its punishment.
All the reasonings of men are not worth one sentiment of women.
Let us read and let us dance - two amusements that will never do any harm to the world.
He is a hard man who is only just, and a sad one who is only wise.
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.
The best is the enemy of the good.
It is difficult to free fools from the chains they revere.
We cannot always oblige; but we can always speak obligingly.
We are all full of weakness and errors; let us mutually pardon each other our follies - it is the first law of nature.
The safest course is to do nothing against one's conscience. With this secret, we can enjoy life and have no fear from death.
The mouth obeys poorly when the heart murmurs.
The first step, my son, which one makes in the world, is the one on which depends the rest of our days.
Society therefore is as ancient as the world.
One merit of poetry few persons will deny: it says more and in fewer words than prose.
It is the flash which appears, the thunderbolt will follow.
History is only the register of crimes and misfortunes.
He shines in the second rank, who is eclipsed in the first.
Every one goes astray, but the least imprudent are they who repent the soonest.
All styles are good except the tiresome kind.
One great use of words is to hide our thoughts.
The ancient Romans built their greatest masterpieces of architecture, their amphitheaters, for wild beasts to fight in.
Friendship is the marriage of the soul, and this marriage is liable to divorce.
The infinitely little have a pride infinitely great.
Is there anyone so wise as to learn by the experience of others?
God gave us the gift of life; it is up to us to give ourselves the gift of living well.
Use, do not abuse... neither abstinence nor excess ever renders man happy.
