All the known world, excepting only savage nations, is governed by books.

What would constitute useful history? That which should teach us our duties and our rights, without appearing to teach them.

We look to Scotland for all our ideas of civilisation.

Among the illusions which have invested our civilization is an absolute belief that the solutions to our problems must be a more determined application of rationally organized expertise... The reality is that our problems are largely the product of that application.

Before receiving your instruction, I must tell you what happened to me one day. I had just had a closet built at the end of my garden. I heard a mole arguing with a cockchafer; 'Here's a fine structure,' said the mole, 'it must have been a very powerful mole who did this work.' 'You're joking,' said the cockchafer; 'it's a cockchafer full of genius who is the architect of this building.' From that moment I resolved never to argue.

All the citizens of a state cannot be equally powerful, but they may be equally free

I advise you to go on living solely to enrage those who are paying your annuities. It is the only pleasure I have left.