The state is the association of men, and not men themselves; the citizen may perish, and the man remain.

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.

Sometimes you can lock the doors and close the blinds, but the monsters are still there inside your house, sleeping and breathing and just waiting to wake up and terrorize you all over again.

I think the whole idea of me was that I wasn't going to be but that I wanted to be, desperately.

A more effective international disease surveillance system is essential for global security both against a bioterrorist attack or a naturally occurring disease.

The present moment is the still point around which the universe arises and subsides, only to be reborn again, fresh as a new born child.

My religious superstition gave place to rational ideas based on scientific facts, and in proportion as I looked at everything from a new standpoint, I grew more happy day by day.

They may not look dangerous, but if angered [bowtruckles] will gouge out human eyes with their fingers, which, as you can see, are very sharp and not at all desirable near the eyeballs.

What I most wanted even at that early age, was to capture and hold the truth, with the certainty and love that it brings.

It has been suggested that an account of my life and fortunes would not be uninteresting to the public.

If it's me, it would be a waste not to dance no matter what.

Way up in the nosebleeds we watched him on the screen, they'd hung between the billboards so cheaper seats could see.