Blaise Pascal

The end point of rationality is to demonstrate the limits of rationality.

Let man reawake and consider what he is compared with the reality of things; regard himself lost in this remote corner of Nature; and from the tiny cell where he lodges, to wit the Universe, weigh at their true worth earth, kingdoms, towns, himself. What is a man face to face with infinity?

The more intelligent a man is, the more originality he discovers in others.

Cold words freeze people, and hot words scorch them, and bitter words make them bitter, and wrathful words make them wrathful. Kind words also produce their own image on men's souls; and a beautiful image it is. They smooth, and quiet, and comfort the hearer.

We must make good people wish that the Christian faith were true, and then show that it is.

If a man is not made for God, why is he happy only in God?

The sum of a man's problems come from his inability to be alone in a silent room.

Reason is the slow and torturous method by which those who do not know the truth discover it

Things have different qualities, and the soul different inclinations; for nothing is simple which is presented to the soul, and the soul never presents itself simply to any object. Hence it comes that we weep and laugh at the same thing.

We never live, but we hope to live; and as we are always arranging to be happy, it must be that we never are so.

For nature is an image of Grace, and visible miracles are images of the invisible.

Man's true nature being lost, everything becomes his nature; as, his true good being lost, everything becomes his good.

Perfect clarity would profit the intellect but damage the will.

The last proceeding of reason is to recognize that there is an infinity of things which are beyond it. There is nothing so conformable to reason as this disavowal of reason.

Vanity of science. Knowledge of physical science will not console me for ignorance of morality in time of affliction, but knowledge of morality will always console me for ignorance of physical science.

There are two kinds of people one can call reasonable: those who serve God with all their heart because they know him, and those who seek him with all their heart because they do not know him.

Evil is easy, and has infinite forms.

When we see a natural style, we are astonished and charmed; for we expected to see an author, and we find a person.

Earnestness is enthusiasm tempered by reason.

We only consult the ear because the heart is wanting.

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