959 Quotes by Blaise Pascal

Some vices only lay hold of us by means of others, and these, like branches, fall on removal of the trunk.

Which is the more believable of the two, Moses or China?

Reason commands us far more imperiously than a master. When we disobey the latter we are punished, when we disobey the former we are fools.

No animal admires another animal.

When we see an effect happen always in the same manner, we infer that it takes place by a natural necessity; as, for instance, that the sun will rise to morrow; but nature often deceives us, and will not submit to its own rules.

The stream is always purer at its source. [Fr., Les choses valent toujours mieux dans leur source.]

When some passion or effect is described in a natural style, we find within ourselves the truth of what we hear, without knowing it was there.

Reason commands us far more imperiously than a master; for in disobeying the one we are unfortunate, and in disobeying the other we are fools.

We do not weary of eating and sleeping every day, for hunger and sleepiness recur. Without that we should weary of them. So, without the hunger for spiritual things, we weary of them. Hunger after righteousness--the eighth beatitude.