It is useless to attack men who could not be controlled even if conquered, while failure would leave us in an even worse position.

Men do not rest content with parrying the attacks of a superior, but often strike the first blow to prevent the attack being made.

If it had not been for the pernicious power of envy, men would not so have exalted vengeance above innocence and profit above justice... in these acts of revenge on others, men take it upon themselves to begin the process of repealing those general laws of humanity which are there to give a hope of salvation to all who are in distress.

The superior gratification derived from the use and contemplation of costly and supposedly beautiful products is, commonly, in great measure a gratification of our sense of costliness masquerading under the name of beauty.

Peace is an armistice in a war that is continuously going on.

Ignorance is bold and knowledge reserved.

There is no need to suppose that human beings differ very much one from another; but it is true that the ones who come out on top are the ones who have been trained in the hardest school.