The metaphysical insanities of Athanasius, of Loyola, and of Calvin, are, to my understanding, mere lapses into polytheism, differing from paganism only by being more unintelligible.

Every State has a natural right in cases not within the compact (casus non faederis) to nullify of their own authority all assumptions of power by others within their limits. Without this right, they would be under the dominion, absolute and unlimited, of whosoever might exercise this right of judgment for them.

The failure of one thing is repaired by the success of another.

When we see ourselves in a situation which must be endured and gone through, it is best to make up our minds to it, meet it with firmness, and accommodate everything to it in the best way practicable. This lessens the evil; while fretting and fuming only serves to increase your own torments.

If we cannot secure all our rights, let us secure what we can.

Was the government to prescribe to us our medicine and diet, our bodies would be in such keeping as our souls are now.

I do not take a single newspaper, nor read one a month, and I feel myself infinitely the happier for it.