Oh, how empty is praise when it reflects back to its origin!

If triangles had a god, he would have three sides.

Ever since the invention of gunpowder.. I continually tremble lest men should, in the end, uncover some secret which would provide a short way of abolishing mankind, of annihilating peoples and nations in their entirety.

The spirit of commerce... renders every man willing to live on his own property...& prevents the growth of luxury.

Laws undertake to punish only overt acts.

A good writer does not write as people write, but as he writes.

If one only wished to be happy, this could be easily accomplished; but we wish to be happier that other people, and this is always difficult, for we believe others to be happier than they are. you are comparing your lot with an ideal which is of course better and therefore you feel worse