Every man who has power is impelled to abuse it.

The spirit of commerce... renders every man willing to live on his own property...& prevents the growth of luxury.

The reason the Romans built their great paved highways was because they had such inconvenient footwear.

There are bad examples which are worse than crimes; and more states have perished from the violation of morality than from the violation of law.

A prince who loves and fears religion is a lion who stoops to the hand that strokes or to the voice that appeases him. He who fears and hates religion is like the savage beast that growls and bites the chain, which prevents his flying on the passenger. He who has no religion at all is that terrible animal who perceives his liberty only when he tears in pieces, and when he devours.

Republics come to an end by luxurious habits; monarchies by poverty.

There is a very good saying that if triangles invented a god, they would make him three-sided.