It is fairer to tax people on what they extract from the economy, as roughly measured by their consumption, than to tax them on what they produce for the economy, as roughly measured by their income.

Reason is the Soul of the Law.

Where there is no common power, there is no law

The secret thoughts of a man run over all things, holy, profane, clean, obscene, grave, and light, without shame or blame.

When a man tells me God hath spoken in a dream, I know he dreamt that God spoke to him.

A free man is he that, in those things which by his strength and wit he is able to do, is not hindered to do what he has a will to.

In sum, all actions and habits are to be esteemed good or evil by their causes and usefulness in reference to the commonwealth, and not by their mediocrity, nor by their being commended. For several men praise several customs, and, contrarily, what one calls vice, another calls virtue, as their present affections lead them.