No passion so effectively robs the mind of its powers of acting and reasoning as fear.
Society can overlook murder, adultery or swindling it never forgives preaching of a new gospel.
It is, generally, in the season of prosperity that men discover their real temper, principles, and designs.
Mere parsimony is not economy . . . expense and great expense may be an essential part of true economy.
Reading without reflecting is like eating without digesting.
No power so effectually robs the mind of all its powers of acting and reasoning as fear.
The writers against religion whilst they oppose every system are wisely careful never to set up any of their own.
All human laws are, properly speaking, only declaratory they have no power over the substance of original justice.
When bad men combine, the good must associate else they will fall one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle.
I would rather sleep in the southern corner of a little country churchyard than in the tombs of the Capulets.
I venture to say no war can be long carried on against the will of the people.
If you can be well without health, you may be happy without virtue.
Justice is itself the great standing policy of civil society and any eminent departure from it, under any circumstances, lies under the suspicion of being no policy at all.
The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.
Government is a contrivance of human wisdom to provide for human wants.
He that wrestles with us strengthens our nerves and sharpens our skills. Our antagonist is our helper.
I have not yet lost a feeling of wonder, and of delight, that the delicate motion should reside in all the things around us, revealing itself only to him who looks for it.
Mere parsimony is not economy. Expense, and great expense, may be an essential part in true economy.
I should therefore suspend my congratulations on the new liberty of France, until I was informed how it had been combined with government; with public force; with the discipline and obedience of armie...
Abstractedly speaking, government, as well as liberty, is good; yet could I, in common sense, ten years ago, have felicitated France on her enjoyment of a government (for she then had a government) wi...