Suffering by nature or chance never seems so painful as suffering inflicted on us by the arbitrary will of another.

Men are by nature merely indifferent to one another but women are by nature enemies.

Politeness is to human nature what warmth is to wax.

Patriotism, when it wants to make itself felt in the domain of learning, is a dirty fellow who should be thrown out of doors.

Satisfaction consists in freedom from pain, which is the positive element of life.