Knowledge humanizes mankind, and reason inclines to mildness; but prejudices eradicate every tender disposition.

Every man who has power is impelled to abuse it.

The incomparable stupidity of life teaches us to love our parents; divine philosophy teaches us to forgive them.

We ought to be very cautious in the prosecution of magic and heresy. The attempt to put down these two crimes may be extremely perilous to liberty, and may be the origin of a number of petty acts of tyranny if the legislator be not on his guard; for as such an accusation does not bear directly on the overt acts of a citizen, but refers to the idea we entertain of his character.

As soon as man enters into a state of society he loses the sense of his weakness; equality ceases, and then commences the state of war.

The English are busy folk; they have no time in which to be polite.

It is clear that in a monarchy, where he who commands the exceution of the laws generally thinks himself above them, there is lessneed of virtue than in a popular government, where the person entrusted with the execution of the laws is sensible of his being subject to their direction.