The heart has its reasons of which reason knows nothing: we know this in countless ways.

Jesus is the God whom we can approach without pride and before whom we can humble ourselves without despair.

Nothing is so intolerable to man as being fully at rest, without a passion, without business, without entertainment, without care.

Beauty is a harmonious relation between something in our nature and the quality of the object which delights us.

The last thing one discovers in composing a work is what to put first.

Man's greatness lies in his power of thought.

If we examine our thoughts, we shall find them always occupied with the past and the future.

Man is obviously made for thinking. Therein lies all his dignity and his merit; and his whole duty is to think as he ought.

Man is only a reed, the weakest in nature; but he is a thinking reed. There is no need for the whole universe to take up arms to crush him: a vapor, a drop of water is enough to kill him. But even if the universe were to crush him, man would still be nobler than his slayer, because he knows that he is dying and the advantage the universe has over him. The universe knows nothing of this.

We only consult the ear because the heart is wanting.