“Man naturally desires, not only to be loved, but to be lovely; or to be that thing which is the natural and proper object of love.”

Every man is rich or poor according to the degree in which he can afford to enjoy the necessaries, conveniences, and amusements of human life.

Have lots of experiments, but make sure they’re strategically focused.

Men desire to have some share in the management of public affairs chiefly on account of the importance which it gives them.

Man, an animal that makes bargains.

No society can surely be flourishing and happy, of which the far greater part of the members are poor and miserable.

It is unjust that the whole of society should contribute towards an expence of which the benefit is confined to a part of the society.

People of the same trade seldom meet together, even for merriment and diversion, but the conversation ends in a conspiracy against the public, or in some contrivance to raise prices.

The problem with fiat money is that it rewards the minority that can handle money, but fools the generation that has worked and saved money.

The division of labour was limited by the extent of the market.

I have no great faith in political arithmetic, and I mean not to warrant the exactness of either of these computations.

Consumption is the sole end and purpose of all production.

Individual Ambition Serves the Common Good.

I have never known much good done by those who affected to trade for the public good.

In ease of body, peace of mind, all the different ranks of life are nearly upon a level and the beggar who suns himself by the side of the highway, possesses that security which kings are fighting for.

When profit diminishes, merchants are very apt to complain that trade decays; though the diminution of profit is the natural effect of its prosperity, or of a greater stock being employed in it than before.

That the chance of gain is naturally over-valued, we may learn from the universal success of lotteries.

The stoical scheme of supplying our wants by lopping off our desires, is like cutting off our feet when we want shoes.

Which of us is happy in this world? Which of us has his desire? or, having it, is satisfied?

She knew full well the enormity of her offense, but because her desires were stronger than the code she was breaking, she persisted in breaking it.

The desire to break the silence with constant human noise is, I believe, precisely an avoidance of the sacred terror of that divine encounter.

The power has to be in your desire to see everyone thrive.

All roads are long which lead to one’s heart’s desire.

I have no desire to write my own biography, as long as I have strength and means to do better work.

My Love is like to ice, and I to fire: How comes it then that this her cold so great Is not dissolved through my so hot desire, But harder grows the more I her entreat?