Religious wars are not caused by the fact that there is more than one religion, but by the spirit of intolerance... the spread of which can only be regarded as the total eclipse of human reason.

False happiness renders men stern and proud, and that happiness is never communicated. True happiness renders them kind and sensible, and that happiness is always shared.

The deterioration of every government begins with the decay of the principles on which it was founded.

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

When one wants to change manners and customs, one should not do so by changing the laws.

If we only wanted to be happy, it would be easy; but we want to be happier than other people, and that is almost always difficult, since we think them happier than they are.

It is necessary from the very nature of things that power should be a check to power.