Vanity is as advantageous to a government as pride is dangerous. To be convinced of this we need only represent, on the one hand,the numberless benefits which result from vanity, as industry, the arts, fashions, politeness, and taste; and on the other, the infinite evils which spring from the pride of certain nations, a laziness, poverty, a total neglect of everything.

The prejudices of superstition are superior to all others, and have the strongest influence on the human mind.

The life of man is but a succession of vain hopes and groundless fears.

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.

Men, who are rogues individually, are in the mass very honorable people.

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.

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