I care not so much what I am to others as what I am to myself. I will be rich by myself, and not by borrowing.
The most evident token and apparent sign of true wisdom is a constant and unconstrained rejoicing.
If you press me to say why I loved him, I can say no more than because he was he, and I was I.
The most certain sign of wisdom is cheerfulness.
It is not a mind, it is not a body that we educate, but it is a man, and we must not make two parts of him.
A wise man never loses anything, if he has himself.
It should be noted that children at play are not playing about; their games should be seen as their most serious-minded activity.
I quote others only in order the better to express myself.
The beautiful souls are they that are universal, open, and ready for all things.
Stubborn and ardent clinging to one’s opinion is the best proof of stupidity.
Marriage is like a cage; one sees the birds outside desperate to get in, and those inside equally desperate to get out.
It is in vain that we get upon stilts, for once on them, it is still with our legs that we must walk. And on the highest throne in the world we are still sitting on our own ass.
Not being able to govern events, I govern myself.
We trouble our life by thoughts about death, and our death by thoughts about life.
To philosophize is nothing else than to prepare oneself for death.
Things are not bad in themselves, but our cowardice makes them so.
The word is half his that speaks, and half his that hears it.
There is as much difference between us and ourselves as there is between us and others.
Nothing is so firmly believed as what we least know.
Since philosophy is the art which teaches us how to live, and since children need to learn it as much as we do at other ages, why do we not instruct them in it?