You always admire what you really don't understand. - Blaise Pascal

The greatest and most important thing in the world is founded on weakness. This is a remarkably sure foundation, for nothing is surer than that the people will be weak.

There is nothing we can now call our own, for what we call so is the effect of art; crimes are made by decrees of the senate, or by the votes of the people; and as here-to-fore we are burdened by vices, so now we are oppressed by laws.

La puissance des rois est fondée sur la raison et sur la folie du peuple, et bien plus sur la folie.