A populace never rebels from passion for attack, but from impatience of suffering.

Though ugliness be the opposite of beauty, it is not the opposite to proportion and fitness; for it is possible that a thing may be very ugly with any proportions, and with a perfect fitness for any use.

But what is liberty without wisdom, and without virtue? It is the greatest of all possible evils; for it is folly, vice, and madness, without tuition or restraint.

By this unprincipled facility of changing the state as often, and as much, and in as many ways as there are floating fancies or fashions, the whole chain and continuity of the commonwealth would be broken. No one generation could link with the other. Men would become little better than the flies of a summer.

When you fear something, learn as much about it as you can. Knowledge conquers fear.

Flattery corrupts both the receiver and the giver; and adulation is not of more service to the people than to kings.

Gambling is a principle inherent in human nature.