A pirate spreading misery and ruin over the face of the ocean

The plough is to the farmer what the wand is to the sorcerer. Its effect is really like sorcery.

Be a listener only, keep within yourself, and endeavor to establish with yourself the habit of silence, especially in politics.

The tumults in America I expected would have produced in Europe an unfavorable opinion of our political state. But it has not. On the contrary, the small effect of these tumults seems to have given more confidence in the firmness of our governments. The interposition of the people themselves on the side of government has had a great effect on the opinion here in Europe.

I have learnt to expect that it will rarely fall to the lot of imperfect man to retire from this station with the reputation and the favor which bring him into it.

The Christian priesthood, finding the doctrines of Christ leveled to every understanding, and too plain to need explanation, saw, in the mysticism of Plato, materials with which they might build up an artificial system which might, from it's indistinctness, admit everlasting controversy, give employment for their order, and introduce it to profit, power and pre-eminence.

Conquest is not in our principles. It is inconsistent with our government.