Diadem or frontlet: a child’s finery. Gives no wit to those who have none.
A well-clothed soldier esteems himself more; well armed, he is more courageous; well fed, he is stronger, bolder, more content, more disposed to obey and do well. He also appears more formidable to the enemy; he overawes him. A good appearance is a force.
Territory. What should be the territory of a town, a commune, etc. — Quarter. How to distribute the quarters and how to match their inhabitants. Etc.
East, west, north, and south: light, darkness, cold, and heat.
It was natural that, worshiping the stars, they should observe their movements.
The serpent has its feet within itself: its coils take their place.
Tradition. The voice has an authority and a power of insinuation that writing lacks.
Use of ceremonies; and what benefit might be drawn from them.
The laws alone must be armed.
As in demonstrations one proceeds from the known to the unknown, so in these operations one must always proceed from what is to what one wants it to become.
Everything that grows corrupt ferments.
They have built beyond the old foundations.
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The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I · Book Mode · Diotimos