Act in such a way that you treat humanity, whether in your own person or in the person of any other, never merely as a means to an end, but always at the same time as an end.

All trades, arts, and handiworks have gained by division of labor... Where the different kinds of work are not distinguished and divided, where everyone is a jack-of-all-trades, there manufactures remain still in the greatest barbarism.

Thrift is care and scruple in the spending of one's means. It is not a virtue and it requires neither skill nor talent.

Sincerity is the indispensable ground of all conscientiousness, and by consequence of all heartfelt religion.

[A ruler is merely] the trustee of the rights of other men and he must always stand in dread of having in some way violated these rights.

Man desired concord; but nature knows better what is good for his species; she desires discord. Man wants to live easy and content; but nature compels him to leave ease... and throw himself into roils and labors.

Human reason has this peculiar fate that in one species of its knowledge it is burdened by questions which, as prescribed by the very nature of reason itself, it is not able to ignore, but which, as transcending all its powers, it is also not able to answer.