Every man who has power is impelled to abuse it.

Experience constantly proves that every man who has power is impelled to abuse it; he goes on till he is pulled up by some limits. Who would say it! virtue even has need of limits.

Countries are not cultivated in proportion to their fertility, but to their liberty.

The state of slavery is in its own nature bad.

When the legislative and executive powers are united in the same person, or in the same body of magistrates, there can be no liberty; because apprehensions may arise, lest the same monarch or senate should enact tyrannical laws, to execute them in a tyrannical manner.

A good writer does not write as people write, but as he writes.

The success of most things depends upon knowing how long it will take to succeed.