Evil prevails when good men fail to act.

Among precautions against ambition, it may not be amiss to take precautions against our own. I must fairly say, I dread our own power and our own ambition: I dread our being too much dreaded.

Circumstances give in reality to every political principle its distinguishing color and discriminating effect. The circumstances are what render every civil and political scheme beneficial or noxious to mankind.

Bad laws are the worst sort of tyranny.

Nothing ought to be more weighed than the nature of books recommended by public authority. So recommended, they soon form the character of the age.

Men are as much blinded by the extremes of misery as by the extremes of prosperity.

The Fate of good men who refuse to become involved in politics is to be ruled by evil men.