That the chance of gain is naturally over-valued, we may learn from the universal success of lotteries.

When we have read a book or poem so often that we can no longer find any amusement in reading it by ourselves, we can still take pleasure in reading it to a companion. To him it has all the graces of novelty.

Man, an animal that makes bargains.

The subjects of every state ought to contribute towards the support of the government, as nearly as possible, in proportion to their respective abilities.

It is the natural effect of improvement, however, to diminish gradually the real price of almost all manufactures.

Such regulations may, no doubt, be considered as in some respect a violation of natural liberty. But those exertions of the natural liberty of a few individuals, which might endanger the security of the whole society, are, and ought to be, restrained by the laws of all governments; of the most free, as well as or the most despotical. The obligation of building party walls, in order to prevent the communication of fire, is a violation of natural liberty, exactly of the same kind with the regulations of the banking trade which are here proposed.

By nature a philosopher is not in genius and disposition half so different from a street porter, as a mastiff is from a greyhound