One more organ or one less in our body would give us a different intelligence. In fact, all the established laws as to why our body is a certain way would be different if our body were not that way.

People here argue about religion interminably, but it appears that they are competing at the same time to see who can be the least devout.

The culminating point of administration is to know well how much power, great or small, we ought to use in all circumstances.

The spirit of commerce is frugality, economy, moderation, labor, ponderance, tranquillity, order, and rule. So long as this spirit subsides, the riches it produces have no bad effect. The mischief is when excessive wealth destroys the spirit of commerce, then it is that the conveniences of inequality... are felt.

When virtue is banished, ambition invades the minds of those who are disposed to receive it and avarice possesses the whole community.

If I knew something that would serve my country but would harm mankind, I would never reveal it; for I am a citizen of humanity first and by necessity, and a citizen of France second, and only by accident

The majority of men are more capable of great actions than of good ones.