We do not admit the authority of the church with respect to its pretended infallibility, its manufactured miracles, its setting itself up to forgive sins. It was by propagating that belief and supporting it with fire that she kept up her temporal power.

The balance of power is the scale of peace.

Religion is a history of wickedness that has served to corrupt and brutalize humankind; and, for my part, I sincerely detest it as I detest everything that is cruel.

It is the madness of folly, to expect mercy from those who have refused to do justice; and even mercy, where conquest is the object, is only a trick of war; the cunning of the fox is as murderous as the violence of the wolf.

A bad cause will ever be supported by bad means and bad men.

When we are planning for posterity, we ought to remember that virtue is not hereditary.

Taxes were not raised to carry on wars, but that wars were raised to carry on taxes.