There are only two cases in which war is just: first, in order to resist the aggression of an enemy, and second, in order to help an ally who has been attacked.

What unhappy beings men are! They constantly waver between false hopes and silly fears, and instead of relying on reason they create monsters to frighten themselves with, and phantoms which lead them astray.

A man who writes well writes not as others write, but as he himself writes; it is often in speaking badly that he speaks well.

Countries are not cultivated in proportion to their fertility, but to their liberty.

But constant experience shows us that every man invested with power is apt to abuse it, and to carry his authority as far as it will go.

There is only one thing that can form a bond between men, and that is gratitude... we cannot give someone else greater power over us than we have ourselves.

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