Man's greatness comes from knowing that he is wretched: a tree does not know it is wretched. Thus it is wretched to know that one is wretched, but th… - Blaise Pascal

Man's greatness comes from knowing he is wretched.

Man’s greatness come from knowing he wretched: a tree does not know it is wretched. (21)

It is natural for the mind to believe, and for the will to love; [47] so that, for want of true objects, they must attach themselves to false.

This art, which I call the art of persuading, and which, properly speaking, is simply the process of perfect methodical proofs, consists of three essential parts: of defining the terms of which we should avail ourselves by clear definitions, of proposing principles of evident axioms to prove the thing in question; and of always mentally substituting in the demonstrations the definition in the place of the thing defined.

To tell the truth is useful to those to whom it is spoken, but disadvantageous to those who tell it, because it makes them disliked.