A man is his own easiest dupe, for what he wishes to be true he generally believes to be true.

The fact speak for themselves.

Small opportunities often presage great enterprises.

The end of wisdom is consultation and deliberation.

The best protection for the people is not necessarily to believe everything people tell them.

Everything great is not always good, but all good things, are great.

There are all kinds of devices invented for the protection and preservation of countries: defensive barriers, forts, trenches, and the like... But prudent minds have as a natural gift one safeguard which is the common possession of all, and this applies especially to the dealings of democracies. What is this safeguard? Skepticism. This you must preserve. This you must retain. If you can keep this, you need fear no harm.