If he who employs coercion against me could mould me to his purposes by argument, no doubt he would. He pretends to punish me because his argument is strong; but he really punishes me because his argument is weak.

If there be such a thing as truth, it must infallibly be struck out by the collision of mind with mind.

There must be room for the imagination to exercise its powers; we must conceive and apprehend a thousand things which we do not actually witness.

Power is not happiness. Security and peace are more to be desired than a name at which nations tremble.

Hereditary wealth is in reality a premium paid to idleness.

He has no right to his life when his duty calls him to resign it. Other men are bound ... to deprive him of life or liberty, if that should appear in any case to be indispensably necessary to prevent a greater evil.

The subtleties of mathematics defecate the grossness of our apprehension, and supply the elements of a sounder and severer logic.