People and nations are forged in the fires of adversity.

The form of government which communicates ease, comfort, security, or, in one word, happiness, to the greatest number of persons, and in the greatest degree, is the best.

Your Letters concerning Miss N. have given me as much Concern as they ought-not knowing the Character nor what to advise, but feeling all a Fathers Tenderness, longing to be at home that I might enquire and consider and take the Care I ought.

I must study politics and war that my sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy.

The form of government which you admire, when its principles are pure is admirable indeed. It is productive of every Thing which is great and excellent among men. But its principles are as easily destroyed as human nature is corrupted. Such a government is only to be supported by pure religion or Austere morals.

When public virtue is gone, when the national spirit is fled the republic is lost in essence, though it may still exist in form

The balance of power in a society accompanies the balance of property in land.