To succeed in the world we must look foolish but be wise.

In every government there are three sorts of power: the legislative; the executive in respect to things dependent on the law of nations; and the executive in regard to matters that depend on the civil law.

There is still another inconvenieney in conquests made by democracies; their government is ever odious to the conquered states. It is apparently monarchical, but in reality it is more oppressive than monarchy, as the experience of all ages and countries evinces.

There are countries where a man is worth nothing; there are others where he is worth less than nothing.

At our coming into the world we contract an immense debt to our country, which we can never discharge.

The less men think, the more they talk.

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.