I hardly know so true a mark of a little mind as the servile imitation of others.

Good-humor is allied to generosity, ill-humor to meanness.

Good-humor will sometimes conquer ill-humor, but ill-humor will conquer it oftener; and for this plain reason, good-humor must operate on generosity, ill-humor on meanness.

Despair gives the shocking ease to the mind that a mortification gives to the body.

Discernment is a power of the understanding in which few excel. Is not that owing to its connection with impartiality and truth? for are not prejudice and partiality blind?

To divest one's self of some prejudices would be like taking off the skin to feel the better.

Avarice starves its possessor to fatten those who come after, and who are eagerly awaiting the demise of the accumulator.

Envy is but the smoke of low estate, Ascending still against the fortunate.

Our companions please us less from the charms we find in their conversation than from those they find in ours.

What an argument in favor of social connections is the observation that by communicating our grief we have less, and by communicating our pleasure we have more.

A lively and agreeable man has not only the merit of liveliness and agreeableness himself, but that also of awakening them in others.

Giving is the gateway to heavenly blessings.

An exceptional woman with all the desired qualities exists only in a man's imagination.

I’ve only been to jail a few times, but in several different countries, at that. No, I've only been to jail a few times. But I still claim the ability to write a "serious" novel.

I would like, before I die, to see the changes I've always fought for being made. If not, my life will have been worth nothing.

If you have the capacity to tremble with indignation every time that an injustice is committed in the world, then we are comrades.

There are 200 million poor in the world who would gladly take the vow of poverty if they could eat, dress and have a home like I do

People are so different in reality from the picture created of them on TV. So it's all a creation; everything is made up.

The thriller is the most popular literary genre of the 20th century.

People, even genetically damaged people, make choices. That’s what matters.’

Our program necessarily includes the propaganda of atheism.