No duty, however, binds us to these so-called laws, whose corrupting influence menaces what is noblest in our being.

Every time government attempts to handle our affairs, it costs more and the results are worse than if we had handled them ourselves.

Art for art's sake, with no purpose, for any purpose perverts art. But art achieves a purpose which is not its own. (1804)

There is a bizarre notion according to which it is claimed that because men are corrupt, it is necessary to give certain of them all the more power... on the contrary, they must be given less power.

There are things one does not say for a long time, but, once they are said, one never stops repeating them.

The great question in life is the suffering we cause, and the most ingenious metaphysics do not justify the man who has broken the heart that loved him.

If political authority is not limited, the division of powers, ordinarily the guarantee of freedom, becomes a danger and a scourge.

If you're an open book I would've carefully read through the pages you've written with your life so far, so I would know where you are at right now.

The remedy for life's broken pieces is not classes, workshops or books. Don't try to heal the broken pieces. Just forgive.

In August of 2002, I survived a car accident. Although I can still see the van speeding toward us, I cannot bring to mind the crash itself - only its aftermath.

Your rewards in life are in direct proportion to your service

If I stay healthy and I'm playing good tennis I have as good a chance as anybody.

I usually don't have a burger, a brat, and a steak but it is 4th of July. And I need the energy if I'm gonna start blowin crap up. It's what the founding fathers would want.

When you sing, you pray twice.

No president ever had more power than [Franklin Delano] Roosevelt.

You have your vision and you need to be focused, but you have to listen. I never felt a sense that the wheels were going to come off because we're all friends and family. It was all good.

And when I think about that, I think that if nothing but being married will help a man, he's durn nigh hopeless.