The more humanity owes him, the more society denies him. Every door is shut against him, even when he has a right to its being opened: and if he ever obtains justice, it is with much greater difficulty than others obtain favors.

In a well governed state, there are few punishments, not because there are many pardons, but because criminals are rare; it is when a state is in decay that the multitude of crimes is a gaurantee of impunity.

Abstaining so as really to enjoy, is the epicurism, the very perfection, of reason.

Cities are the abyss of the human species.

What good would it be to possess the whole universe if one were its only survivor?

Generally we obtain very surely and very speedily what we are not too anxious to obtain.

The freedom of Mankind does not lie in the fact that can do what we want, but that we do not have to do that which we do not want.