Denis Diderot
“What is this world of ours? … a fleeting symmetry; a momentary order.”
“The arbitrary rule of a just and enlightened prince is always bad.”
“Man was born to live with his fellow human beings. Separate him, isolate him, his character will go bad.”
“It has been said that love robs those who have it of their wit, and gives it to those who have none.”
“Pithy sentences are like sharp nails which force truth upon our memory.”
“Watch out for the fellow who talks about putting things in order! Putting things in order always means getting other people under your control.”
“Poetry must have something in it that is barbaric, vast and wild.”
“From fanaticism to barbarism is only one step.”
“Only passions, great passions, can elevate the soul to great things.”
“Skepticism is the first step toward truth.”