--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can purchase the mind of Pascal for a…" description: "\"You can purchase the mind of Pascal for a crown. Pleasures even cheaper are sold to those who give themselves up to them. It is only luxuries and objec..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bf/luc-de-clapiers-2035_caprice_you-can-purchase-the-mind-of-pascal-for_2702402.png" --- # You can purchase the mind of Pascal for a crown. Pleasures… ![“You can purchase the mind of Pascal for a crown. Pleasures even cheaper are sold to those who give themselves up to them. It is only luxuries and objects of caprice that are rare and difficult to obtain; unfortunately they are the only things that touch the curiosity and taste of ordinary men.” quote by Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bf/luc-de-clapiers-2035_caprice_you-can-purchase-the-mind-of-pascal-for_2702402.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bf/luc-de-clapiers-2035_caprice_you-can-purchase-the-mind-of-pascal-for_2702402.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bf/luc-de-clapiers-2035_caprice_you-can-purchase-the-mind-of-pascal-for_2702402.png) > “You can purchase the mind of Pascal for a crown. Pleasures even cheaper are sold to those who give themselves up to them. It is only luxuries and objects of caprice that are rare and difficult to obtain; unfortunately they are the only things that touch the curiosity and taste of ordinary men.” [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Rare luxuries spark curiosity, yet true fulfillment comes from modest pleasures and intellectual pursuits. **In simple terms:** Rare luxuries spark curiosity. Key Takeaway Seek modest pleasures, intellectual growth. Themes curiosity luxury humility Mood contemplative inquisitive Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - consumer decisions - education - hobby development Key Concepts philosophy psychology Questions to Reflect On - What modest pleasure fulfills you? - How does curiosity shape your life? A Different Perspective Materialism can distract from meaning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Caprice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/caprice/) [Curiosity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/curiosity/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Luxury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/luxury/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Ordinary man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ordinary-man/) [Pleasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasure/) [Pleasures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasures/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) ## Related quotes > [Newton, Pascal, Bossuet, Racine, F?nelon -- that is to say, some of the most enlightened men on earth, in the most philosophical of all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/newton-pascal-bossuet-racine-f-nelon-that-is-to-say-some-of-the-most/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [Modern as the style of Pascal's writing is, his thought is deeply impregnated with the spirit of the Middle Ages. He belonged, almost equally,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lytton-strachey/modern-as-the-style-of-pascal-s-writing-is-his-thought-is-deeply/) [Lytton Strachey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lytton-strachey/) > [Buechner is a worthy member of the great prose stylists: Pascal, Newman, and Merton, who have harnessed their art to a passionate religious faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-auchincloss/buechner-is-a-worthy-member-of-the-great-prose-stylists-pascal-newman/) [Louis Auchincloss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-auchincloss/) > [I will say this quite plainly, what truly human is -and don't be afraid of this word- love. And I mean it even with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuel-levinas/i-will-say-this-quite-plainly-what-truly-human-is-and-don-t-be-afraid/) [Emmanuel Levinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuel-levinas/) > [If you want a language that tries to lock up all the sharp objects and fire-making implements, use Pascal or Ada: the Nerf languages,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-fahlman/if-you-want-a-language-that-tries-to-lock-up-all-the-sharp-objects/) Scott Fahlman > [Distrust even Mathematics; albeit so sublime and highly perfected, we have here a machine of such delicacy it can only work in vacuo, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatole-france/distrust-even-mathematics-albeit-so-sublime-and-highly-perfected-we/) [Anatole France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatole-france/) > [“There is a wide yawning black infinity. In every direction the extension is endless, the sensation of depth is overwhelming. And the darkness is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/there-is-a-wide-yawning-black-infinity-in-every-direction-the/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [If Montaigne is a man in the prime of life sitting in his study on a warm morning and putting down the sum of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-connolly/if-montaigne-is-a-man-in-the-prime-of-life-sitting-in-his-study-on-a/) [Cyril Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-connolly/) > [I blame the newspapers because every day they call our attention to insignificant things, while three or four times in our lives,we read books…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/i-blame-the-newspapers-because-every-day-they-call-our-attention-to/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) > [“—Pascal, if I remember rightly, would not suffer his mother to kiss him as he feared the contact of her sex.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/pascal-if-i-remember-rightly-would-not-suffer-his-mother-to-kiss-him/) [James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/) > [Go is most fun I've had with a compiled PL since I've discovered Turbo Pascal as a kid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bojan-markovic/go-is-most-fun-i-ve-had-with-a-compiled-pl-since-i-ve-discovered/) Bojan Markovic > [ “Foreshadowings of the principles and even of the language of \[the infinitesimal\] calculus can be found in the writings of Napier , Kepler ,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/foreshadowings-of-the-principles-and-even-of-the-language-of-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Former Sony CEO Amy Pascal - they threw her out of the headquarters, but they gave her a new office on the lot. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-sagal/former-sony-ceo-amy-pascal-they-threw-her-out-of-the-headquarters-but/) [Peter Sagal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-sagal/) > [Narration is as much a part of human nature as breath and the circulation of the blood… storytelling is intrinsic to biological time, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-s-byatt-2/narration-is-as-much-a-part-of-human-nature-as-breath-and-the/) [A. S. Byatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-s-byatt-2/) > [When all moves equally (says Pascal), nothing seems to move as in a vessel under sail; and when all run by common consent into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/when-all-moves-equally-says-pascal-nothing-seems-to-move-as-in-a/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) ## More by Luc de Clapiers > [Great men undertake great things because they are great; fools, because they think them easy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/great-men-undertake-great-things-because-they-are-great-fools-because/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [You must rouse into people's consciousness their own prudence and strength, if you want to raise their character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/you-must-rouse-into-people-s-consciousness-their-own-prudence-and/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [To achieve great things we must live as though we were never going to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/to-achieve-great-things-we-must-live-as-though-we-were-never-going-to/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [Excessive distrust is not less hurtfJul than its opposite. Most men become useless to him who is unwilling to risk being deceived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/excessive-distrust-is-not-less-hurtfjul-than-its-opposite-most-men/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [There are those who are so scrupulously afraid of doing wrong that they seldom venture to do anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/there-are-those-who-are-so-scrupulously-afraid-of-doing-wrong-that/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [The most absurd and reckless aspirations have sometimes led to extraordinary success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/the-most-absurd-and-reckless-aspirations-have-sometimes-led-to/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [We are very wrong to think that some fault or other can exclude virtue, or to consider the alliance of good and evil as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/we-are-very-wrong-to-think-that-some-fault-or-other-can-exclude/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [Men are not to be judged by what they do not know, but by what they know, and by the manner in which they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/men-are-not-to-be-judged-by-what-they-do-not-know-but-by-what-they/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [Men dissimulate their dearest, most constant, and most virtuous inclination from weakness and a fear of being condemned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/men-dissimulate-their-dearest-most-constant-and-most-virtuous/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [To withdraw ourselves from the law of the strong, we have found ourselves obliged to submit to justice. Justice or might, we must choose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/to-withdraw-ourselves-from-the-law-of-the-strong-we-have-found/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [None are more liable to mistakes than those who act only on second thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/none-are-more-liable-to-mistakes-than-those-who-act-only-on-second/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [The mind is the soul's eye, not its source of power. That lies in the heart, in other words, in the passions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/the-mind-is-the-soul-s-eye-not-its-source-of-power-that-lies-in-the/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [It is easier to say new things than to reconcile those which have already been said.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/it-is-easier-to-say-new-things-than-to-reconcile-those-which-have/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [Those who can bear all can dare all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/those-who-can-bear-all-can-dare-all/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [It is of no use to possess a lively wit if it is not of the right proportion: the perfection of a clock is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/it-is-of-no-use-to-possess-a-lively-wit-if-it-is-not-of-the-right/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) [Explore all 190 Luc de Clapiers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) ## More Caprice quotes > [In the indications of female poverty there can be no disguise. No woman dresses below herself from caprice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/in-the-indications-of-female-poverty-there-can-be-no-disguise-no/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [Talent and intelligence never yet inoculated anyone against the caprice of the fates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling-2/talent-and-intelligence-never-yet-inoculated-anyone-against-the/) [J. K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling-2/) > [Our fascination with weather: its caprices and changes as an antidote to the eternal repetition of daily life; a helpful illusion of novelty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derren-brown/our-fascination-with-weather-its-caprices-and-changes-as-an-antidote/) [Derren Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derren-brown/) > [I see nothing quite conclusive in the art of temporal government, But violence, duplicity and frequent malversation. King rules or barons rule: The strong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/i-see-nothing-quite-conclusive-in-the-art-of-temporal-government-but/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [A caprice is handled like a stew, and the pepper is added at the last minute.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachilde/a-caprice-is-handled-like-a-stew-and-the-pepper-is-added-at-the-last/) [Rachilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachilde/) > [When faced with demanding situations, can you keep your heart as light as a feather? Can you laugh your way through challenges and maintain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cohen/when-faced-with-demanding-situations-can-you-keep-your-heart-as-light/) [Alan Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cohen/) > [Travel is a caprice in childhood, a passion in youth, a necessity in manhood, and an elegy in old age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-rizal/travel-is-a-caprice-in-childhood-a-passion-in-youth-a-necessity-in/) [Jose Rizal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-rizal/) > [Broken lines do not know what they want. With their caprices they cut time up, abuse routes, slash the joyous flowers and split the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rene-crevel/broken-lines-do-not-know-what-they-want-with-their-caprices-they-cut/) [Rene Crevel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rene-crevel/) > [Dame Edna is that rarest sighting in our time of the absolute comic, an inspired personification of caprice whose comedy answered the primal call…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lahr/dame-edna-is-that-rarest-sighting-in-our-time-of-the-absolute-comic/) [John Lahr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lahr/) > [The great merit of gold is precisely that it is scarce; that its quantity is limited by nature; that it is costly to discover,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-hazlitt/the-great-merit-of-gold-is-precisely-that-it-is-scarce-that-its/) [Henry Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-hazlitt/) > [Caprice, independence and rebellion, which are opposed to the social order, are essential to the good health of an ethnic group. We shall measure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-dubuffet/caprice-independence-and-rebellion-which-are-opposed-to-the-social/) [Jean Dubuffet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-dubuffet/) > [Caprice in women often infringes upon the rules of decency.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/caprice-in-women-often-infringes-upon-the-rules-of-decency/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [I love you boosie baltimore m.d caprice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-boosie/i-love-you-boosie-baltimore-m-d-caprice/) [Lil Boosie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-boosie/) > [Caprice is half man. There is something manly about her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bacon/caprice-is-half-man-there-is-something-manly-about-her/) [Richard Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bacon/) > [For the writer, the serial killer is, abstractly, an analogue of the imagination's caprices and amorality; the sense that, no matter the dictates and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/for-the-writer-the-serial-killer-is-abstractly-an-analogue-of-the/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) [Browse all 110 Caprice quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/caprice/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You can purchase the mind of Pascal for a crown. Pleasures even cheaper are sold to those who give themselves up to them. 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