No living creature is naturally greedy, except from fear of want - or in the case of human beings, from vanity, the notion that you're better than people if you can display more superfluous property than they can.

. . . the state of things and the dispositions of men were then such, that a man could not well tell whom he might trust or whom he might fear.

The way to heaven out of all places is of length and distance.

Two evils, greed and faction are the destruction of all justice.

Nor can they understand why a totally useless substance like gold should now, all over the world, be considered far more important than human beings, who gave it such value as it has, purely for their own convenience.

Anyone who campaigns for public office becomes disqualified for holding any office at all.

I die the king's faithful servant, but God's first.