Books, the children of the brain.

The ruin of a State is generally preceded by an universal degeneracy of manners and contempt of religion.

Who can deny that all men are violent lovers of the truth, when we see them so positive in their errors, which they will maintain out of their zeal for truth, although they contradict themselves every day of their lives.

Pedantry is properly the over-rating of any kind of knowledge we pretend to.

When men grow virtuous in their old age, they only make a sacrifice to God of the devil's leavings.

It is in disputes as in armies, where the weaker side sets up false lights, and makes a great noise, to make the enemy believe them more numerous and strong than they really are.

Party is the madness of many for the gain of a few.