The legislator should direct his attention above all to the education of youth; for the neglect of education does harm to the constitution. The citizen should be molded to suit the form of government under which he lives. For each government has a peculiar character which originally formed and which continues to preserve it. The character of democracy creates democracy, and the character of oligarchy creates oligarchy.

Every man should be responsible to others, nor should any one be allowed to do just as he pleases; for where absolute freedom is allowed, there is nothing to restrain the evil which is inherent in every man.

With respect to the requirement of art, the probable impossible is always preferable to the improbable possible.

For the more limited, if adequate, is always preferable.

It is not once nor twice but times without number that the same ideas make their appearance in the world.

As the pleasures of the body are the ones which we most often meet with, and as all men are capable of these, these have usurped the family title; and some men think these are the only pleasures that exist, because they are the only ones which they know.

Men are divided between those who are as thrifty as if they would live forever, and those who are as extravagant as if they were going to die the next day.