Nothing turns out to be so oppressive and unjust as a feeble government.

Corrupt influence is itself the perennial spring of all prodigality, and of all disorder; it loads us more than millions of debt; takes away vigor from our arms, wisdom from our councils, and every shadow of authority and credit from the most venerable parts of our constitution.

What shadows we are, and what shadows we pursue!

Learning will be cast into the mire and trodden down under the hoofs of a swinish multitude.

There is a wide difference between admiration and love. The sublime, which is the cause of the former, always dwells on great objects and terrible; the latter on small ones and pleasing; we submit to what we admire, but we love what submits to us: in one case we are forced, in the other, we are flattered, into compliance.

He was not merely a chip off the old block, but the old block itself.

The moment that government appears at market, the principles of the market will be subverted.