There are three kinds of intelligence: one kind understands things for itself, the other appreciates what others can understand, the third understands neither for itself nor through others. This first kind is excellent, the second good, and the third kind useless.

And truly it is a very natural and ordinary thing to desire to acquire, and always, when men do it who can, they will be praised or not blamed; but when they cannot, and wish to do it anyway, here lies the error and the blame.

And when he is obliged to take the life of any one, to do so when there is a proper justification and manifest reason for it; but above all he must abstain from taking the property of others, for men forget more easily the death of their father than the loss of their patrimony.

Nothing feeds upon itself as liberality does.

The greatest remedy that is used against a plan of the enemy is to do voluntarily what he plans that you do by force.

Men are driven by two principal impulses, either by love or by fear.

The innovator has for enemies all who have done well under the old, and lukewarm defenders in those who may do well under the new.