I never listen to calumnies, because if they are untrue I run the risk of being deceived, and if they be true, of hating persons not worth thinking about.

It is necessary from the very nature of things that power should be a check to power.

The deterioration of every government begins with the decay of the principles on which it was founded.

We receive three educations, one from our parents, one from our school-masters, and one from the world. The third contradicts all that the first two teach us.

There is no crueler tyranny than that which is perpetuated under the shield of law and in the name of justice.

Every man who has power is impelled to abuse it.

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.

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

For a country, everything will be lost when the jobs of an economist and a banker become highly respected professions.

Liberty... is there only when there is no abuse of power.

Knowledge humanizes mankind, and reason inclines to mildness; but prejudices eradicate every tender disposition.

One can give ‘correct’ opinion only if one has an open mind.

The degree of one's emotions varies inversely with one's knowledge of the facts.

I shall try to write a poem that is about the moment but doesn't betray things that are true to me as a poet.

You cannot struggle to joy. Struggle and joy are not on the same channel. You joy your way to joy. You laugh your way to success. It is through your joy that good things come.

I usually tell somebody if a song’s for them. I don’t always tell them if it’s about them.

The educated man had throughout the ages found a way to covert passionate activity into silent and motionless pleasure. He can sit still in a room and not perish.

Not everyone has equal abilities, but everyone should have equal opportunity for education.

My bottom line is this is no time to be gambling with our economy

Is it every man and woman's curse to want it all and only get ten percent of it? Or do we ask too much?

We learn and grow and become stronger as we face and survive the trials through which we must pass.