The majority of men are more capable of great actions than of good ones.

When one wants to change manners and customs, one should not do so by changing the laws.

The corruption of every government begins nearly always with that of principles.

No kingdom has ever suffered as many civil wars as Christ’s.

One must mourn not the death of men, but their birth.

A nation may lose its liberties in a day and not miss them in a century.

If one only wished to be happy, this could be easily accomplished; but we wish to be happier than other people, and this is always difficult, for we believe others to be happier than they are.

The incomparable stupidity of life teaches us to love our parents divine philosophy teaches us to forgive them.

It is not the young people that degenerate they are not spoiled till those of mature age are already sunk into corruption.

In the state of nature...all men are born equal, but they cannot continue in this equality. Society makes them lose it, and they recover it only by the protection of the law.