What orators lack in depth they make up for in length.

Laws, in their most general signification, are the necessary relations arising from the nature of things. In this sense all beings have their laws: the Deity His laws, the material world its laws, the intelligences superior to man their laws, the beasts their laws, man his laws.

With truths of a certain kind, it is not enough to make them appear convincing: one must also make them felt. Of such kind are moral truths.

If you run after wit, you will succeed in catching folly.

...when the laws have ceased to be executed, as this can only come from the corruption of the republic, the state is already lost.

Success in the majority of circumstances depends on knowing how long it takes to succeed.

Liberty... is there only when there is no abuse of power.