They who assert that a blind fatality produced the various effects we behold in this world talk very absurdly; for can anything be more unreasonable than to pretend that a blind fatality could be productive of intelligent beings.

Virtue in a republic is the love of one's country, that is the love of equality.

I have read descriptions of Paradise that would make any sensible person stop wanting to go there.

The history of commerce is that of the communication of the people.

Society is the union of men and not the men themselves.

An empire founded by war has to maintain itself by war.

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