Denis Diderot

Gratitude is a burden, and every burden is made to be shaken off. ”

Disturbances in society are never more fearful than when those who are stirring up the trouble can use the pretext of religion to mask their true designs. ”

It is said that desire is a product of the will, but the converse is in fact true: will is a product of desire. ”

The God of the Christians is a father who makes much of his apples, and very little of his children. ”

Although a man may wear fine clothing, if he lives peacefully; and is good, self-possessed, has faith and is pure; and if he does not hurt any living being, he is a holy man. ”

Our observation of nature must be diligent, our reflection profound, and our experiments exact. We rarely see these three means combined; and for this reason, creative geniuses are not common. ”

It is not human nature we should accuse but the despicable conventions that pervert it. ”

No man has received from nature the right to command his fellow human beings. ”

There are things I can't force. I must adjust. There are times when the greatest change needed is a change of my viewpoint. ”

When superstition is allowed to perform the task of old age in dulling the human temperament, we can say goodbye to all excellence in poetry, in painting, and in music. ”