The virtue of a man ought to be measured not by his extraordinary exertions, but by his every-day conduct. - Blaise Pascal

Eloquence is a painting of thought; and thus those who, after having painted it, add something more, make a picture instead of a portrait.

And if one loves me for my judgement, memory, he does not love me, for I can lose these qualities without losing myself. Where, then, is this Ego, if it be neither in the body nor in the soul? And how love the body or the soul, except for these qualities which do not constitute me, since they are perishable? For it is impossible and would be unjust to love the soul of a person in the abstract and whatever qualities might be therein. We never, then, love a person, but only qualities.
Let us, then, jeer no more at those who are honoured on account of rank and office; for we love a person only on account of borrowed qualities.

We run heedlessly into the abyss after putting something in front of us to stop us seeing it.