It is a strange desire, to seek power, and to lose liberty; or to seek power over others, and to lose power over a man's self.

The great advantages of simulation and dissimulation are three. First to lay asleep opposition and to surprise. For where a man's intentions are published, it is an alarum to call up all that are against them. The second is to reserve a man's self a fair retreat: for if a man engage himself, by a manifest declaration, he must go through, or take a fall. The third is, the better to discover the mind of another. For to him that opens himself, men will hardly show themselves adverse; but will fair let him go on, and turn their freedom of speech to freedom of thought.

God Almighty first planted a garden. And indeed, it is the purest of human pleasures.

If a man be gracious and courteous to strangers, it shows he is a citizen of the world.

Money is like manure, of very little use except it be spread.

The French are wiser than they seem, and the Spaniards seem wiser than they are.

Lies are sufficient to breed opinion, and opinion brings on substance.